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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.

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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: mine · kid · net · jam · sharp · key · suit · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. net — in sport
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mine — for digging
  6. kid — child
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. net — after costs
  15. suit — to fit
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. key — in music
  18. net — for catching
  19. key — the most important part
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. key — for a lock
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. kid — to tease

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