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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 · bass · fall · mate · jam · club · suit · deal

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fall — to drop
  3. net — after costs
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. net — in sport
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bass — the fish
  10. club — a group
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fall — the season
  13. club — for golf
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bass — low music
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. net — for catching
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fall — to drop

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