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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: suit · plane · squash · snap · mark · current · season · net

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. net — after costs
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. season — in sport
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. suit — to fit
  9. squash — to crush
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. current — happening now
  12. net — for catching
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. current — electric
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mark — a grade
  17. suit — in cards
  18. snap — to click
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. current — of water
  23. suit — clothes
  24. net — in sport

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