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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: net · fall · craft · mine · pound · band · roll · fine

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mine — for digging
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. net — after costs
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fine — high quality
  10. net — in sport
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fine — all right
  14. band — a music group
  15. net — for catching
  16. roll — a cake
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. fall — the season
  20. band — a ring
  21. roll — a list
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. craft — boats

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