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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: cabinet · ruler · fine · degree · racket · lean · net · band

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fine — high quality
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fine — all right
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. net — for catching
  17. degree — temperature
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lean — thin
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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