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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 120 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: club · net · bank · rule · scale · cap · suit · wind

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. suit — clothes
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bank — for money
  10. club — for golf
  11. scale — in music
  12. cap — of ice
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. club — a group
  19. scale — size or range
  20. net — after costs
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rule — government

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