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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: net · spell · fine · dip · file · coach · swing · content

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. file — a document
  4. net — for catching
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. spell — magic
  8. fine — all right
  9. swing — in golf
  10. content — the amount
  11. file — a line of people
  12. content — happy
  13. dip — to sink
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a tool
  16. net — after costs
  17. spell — letters
  18. swing — music
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. net — in sport
  21. spell — a short time
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fine — high quality
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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