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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 116 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: net · coach · fine · lean · spell · mate · ball · rock

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mate — to breed
  3. net — in sport
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. net — for catching
  9. spell — magic
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lean — thin
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mate — a partner
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. net — after costs
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fine — all right

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