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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 120 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: ruler · can · band · stand · wax · foot · pit · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. can — a tin
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wax — to grow
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. net — after costs
  10. band — a ring
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. band — a music group
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pit — in a race
  24. can — a tin

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