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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: bowl · suit · staff · saw · mug · swing · net · last

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. staff — employees
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. last — final
  5. net — in sport
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. swing — in golf
  8. last — to go on
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. swing — music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mug — a cup
  15. swing — to play on
  16. last — finally
  17. saw — the tool
  18. staff — a stick
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. net — after costs
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — for catching
  24. mug — to rob

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