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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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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: nail · net · racket · suit · cap · fine · bass · row

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. fine — high quality
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cap — of ice
  8. net — for catching
  9. row — a line
  10. suit — clothes
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. net — after costs
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. net — in sport
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bass — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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