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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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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: fine · net · drill · board · last · stick · bowl · ruler

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — finally
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. board — to get on
  6. drill — the tool
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. last — final
  12. fine — all right
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. board — a committee
  18. drill — army training
  19. last — to go on
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. net — for catching
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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