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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: roll · pass · net · fine · object · wave

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. 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. net — in sport
  2. fine — high quality
  3. object — to protest
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pass — a permit
  8. object — a thing
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. roll — a cake
  12. fine — all right
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — an aim
  16. net — after costs
  17. roll — a list
  18. 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