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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 · deal · can · squash · sharp · suit · lash · swing

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. can — a tin
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. squash — the sport
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. swing — music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. can — a tin
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. can — to be able to
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. swing — to play on
  16. net — after costs
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. squash — to crush
  19. suit — clothes
  20. net — in sport
  21. suit — in cards
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. swing — in golf
  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