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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: hide · track · net · deal · suit · chest · nail · spell

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chest — of your body
  3. net — for catching
  4. spell — letters
  5. track — a path
  6. spell — magic
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — clothes
  9. net — in sport
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. net — after costs
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spell — a short time
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — a song
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — a box
  24. nail — on a finger

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