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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 116 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 · wake · ruler · bowl · saw · suit · cap · wound

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cap — a lid
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. net — for catching
  7. cap — a hat
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wake — a trail
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wound — an injury
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. suit — clothes

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