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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: net · face · wake · suit · ball · scale · swing · file

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. swing — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wake — a trail
  5. file — a document
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. net — for catching
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ball — a great time
  12. swing — in golf
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. net — after costs
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ball — a dance
  17. face — to confront
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. scale — in music
  24. suit — in cards

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