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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: leaves · squash · dip · fork · present · deal · net · suit

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — after costs
  3. suit — to fit
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fork — in a road
  15. squash — the sport
  16. present — a gift
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. deal — to handle
  19. present — there
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. dip — to sink
  22. net — in sport
  23. suit — in cards
  24. present — the time now

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