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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: net · root · lash · deal · swing · content · mate · tube

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. content — the amount
  6. swing — to play on
  7. net — after costs
  8. tube — a container
  9. mate — to breed
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mate — a partner
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. content — happy
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. root — the cause
  18. swing — music
  19. net — in sport
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. root — of a word
  23. swing — in golf
  24. content — videos and posts

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