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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: saw · deal · net · foot · ball · bore · spell · racket

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. net — in sport
  3. spell — a short time
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — for catching
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bore — to drill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spell — letters
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. spell — magic
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bore — to tire
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bore — gave birth

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