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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: suit · ball · club · hide · field · mouse · ruler · net

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. club — for dancing
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. suit — in cards
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. net — after costs
  9. field — farmland
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. net — in sport
  13. club — for golf
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a dance
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. net — for catching
  22. club — a group
  23. field — a subject
  24. field — for sport

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