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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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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: net · fan · row · spell · can · key · roll · present

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. roll — a list
  5. spell — magic
  6. present — there
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. key — the most important part
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. net — in sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. can — to be able to
  19. roll — a cake
  20. key — for a lock
  21. spell — a short time
  22. net — after costs
  23. spell — letters
  24. key — in music

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