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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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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: wave · cap · nail · ruler · net · rest · suit · branch

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. net — for catching
  11. suit — in cards
  12. branch — a division
  13. cap — a hat
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. net — in sport
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. net — after costs
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rest — a break

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