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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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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: racket · net · suit · cold · deal · hide · root · rest

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. net — after costs
  2. root — the cause
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cold — an illness
  5. rest — what's left
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. deal — to handle
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cold — not warm
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rest — what's left
  14. root — of a plant
  15. suit — to fit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rest — a break
  18. suit — in cards
  19. root — of a word
  20. net — for catching
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. deal — an agreement
  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