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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: suit · stand · net · bore · tube · fan · lash · hide

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. net — in sport
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bore — to drill
  14. net — after costs
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stand — to bear
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. net — for catching

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