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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: file · swing · season · suit · fork · ball · net · squash

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. season — of the year
  4. ball — a great time
  5. suit — clothes
  6. net — for catching
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. file — a line of people
  15. swing — music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fork — in a road
  18. net — after costs
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a tool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. season — in sport
  24. net — in 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