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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 124 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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468
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: can · stand · drill · net · snap · dip · mate · racket

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mate — a partner
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. net — after costs
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — a tin
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. stand — to bear
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. drill — army training
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. can — to be able to
  17. snap — to click
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. mate — a friend
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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