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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: ruler · cap · jam · season · net · wind · firm · rock

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. season — of the year
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cap — of ice
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. firm — decided
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rock — music
  14. season — in sport
  15. cap — a hat
  16. net — after costs
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. firm — a company
  19. net — for catching
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. firm — steady
  22. rock — a stone
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. net — in sport

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