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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.

Words on the sheet
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: object · toast · suit · last · arm · squash · net · fine

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. net — after costs
  4. last — finally
  5. object — a thing
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. net — in sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. object — an aim
  10. toast — bread
  11. last — final
  12. fine — high quality
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. net — for catching
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. suit — clothes
  17. squash — to crush
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. last — to go on
  23. object — to protest
  24. squash — the sport

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