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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 116 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: kick · track · net · fan · firm · band · suit · current

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. firm — a company
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. suit — in cards
  10. net — for catching
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. net — after costs
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — a song
  18. current — electric
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. band — a ring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fan — a supporter

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