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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: dip · net · last · hide · racket · face · pop · suit

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. net — for catching
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — in sport
  5. dip — to sink
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. last — final
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pop — soda
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. face — to confront
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. suit — in cards
  19. net — after costs
  20. suit — to fit
  21. last — finally
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. last — to go on
  24. racket — for tennis

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