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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.

Make a worksheet

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: drill · ball · rule · scale · wind · craft · net · suit

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. net — after costs
  7. drill — army training
  8. suit — clothes
  9. net — for catching
  10. drill — the tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. net — in sport
  13. ball — a dance
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ball — a great time
  18. craft — boats
  19. wind — moving air
  20. drill — a practice
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. scale — in music
  24. wind — moving air

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