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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · row · racket · net · ball · suit · fine · snap

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. field — for sport
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fine — high quality
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. net — after costs
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. row — to paddle
  17. ball — a great time
  18. suit — clothes
  19. field — farmland
  20. row — a line
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. field — a subject
  23. fine — all right
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com