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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 120 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: suit · lash · straw · can · pit · hide · net · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. suit — in cards
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pit — a hole
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — in sport
  12. pit — in a race
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. net — after costs
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. net — for catching
  23. can — a tin
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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