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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · suit · net · fan · field · kick · racket · chest

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. chest — a box
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. net — after costs
  10. field — for sport
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. fine — all right
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. field — a subject
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. field — farmland
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. chest — of your body
  24. net — for catching

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