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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
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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: hand · suit · pass · mine · net · tube · fan · saw

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. hand — in cards
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. net — for catching
  9. tube — a container
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mine — for digging
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. tube — the underground
  16. hand — help
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. net — in sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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