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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · bass · spell · cabinet · net · hide · rest · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rest — what's left
  4. spell — letters
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rest — what's left
  9. spell — a short time
  10. kick — in football
  11. bass — low music
  12. net — in sport
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. net — for catching
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. net — after costs
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rest — a break
  24. spell — magic

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