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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: roll · fine · net · stand · bulb · face · ruler · pound

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. face — to point toward
  4. net — in sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — high quality
  7. net — for catching
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fine — all right
  11. bulb — for light
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. roll — a cake
  16. net — after costs
  17. pound — a weight
  18. roll — a list
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. fine — a penalty

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