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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: fine · band · stand · net · roll · last · suit · lie

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. net — after costs
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. last — finally
  6. net — for catching
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. suit — clothes
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. last — to go on
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. net — in sport
  20. stand — to bear
  21. last — final
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fine — all right

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