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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.

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: bank · racket · saw · rash · firm · net · stand · hide

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. firm — steady
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — to bear
  10. net — in sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — after costs
  14. saw — the tool
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. firm — a company
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. firm — decided
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rash — hasty
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rash — a series

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