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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
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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 · last · chair · fork · cue · squash · net · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fork — in a road
  5. last — finally
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. chair — a leader
  11. cue — a hint
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. last — to go on
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — in sport
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. net — for catching
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. last — final
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. squash — the sport
  24. net — after costs

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