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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: saw · squash · suit · fine · net · pitch · cabinet · arm

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fine — high quality
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. suit — clothes
  8. saw — the tool
  9. suit — in cards
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. net — for catching
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. squash — to crush
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. net — after costs
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. net — in sport
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. squash — the sport
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pitch — completely

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