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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: racket · file · suit · net · field · leaves · deal · chest

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. suit — in cards
  3. deal — to handle
  4. file — a document
  5. field — for sport
  6. file — a line of people
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. net — for catching
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. net — in sport
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chest — a box
  16. suit — to fit
  17. field — farmland
  18. chest — of your body
  19. file — a tool
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — after costs
  22. field — a subject
  23. chest — of your body
  24. deal — an agreement

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