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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 · cabinet · rock · ruler · kid · clip · firm · bass

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. net — for catching
  3. clip — for paper
  4. rock — a stone
  5. net — in sport
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. clip — a video
  11. kid — child
  12. bass — the fish
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bass — low music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kid — to tease
  20. net — after costs
  21. firm — decided
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. clip — to cut
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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