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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 · land · firm · scale · ruler · roll · mate · fork

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. roll — a cake
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. net — in sport
  5. fork — in a road
  6. firm — steady
  7. land — ground
  8. firm — a company
  9. net — for catching
  10. scale — size or range
  11. firm — decided
  12. mate — a partner
  13. net — after costs
  14. scale — in music
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mate — to breed
  17. land — to come down
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. land — a country
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. roll — a list
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mate — a friend

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