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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
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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 · row · cold · mouse · suit · trunk · fine · key

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. cold — not warm
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fine — all right
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. row — to paddle
  7. suit — clothes
  8. net — in sport
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. net — after costs
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. row — a line
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cold — an illness
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — in music

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