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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · wave · roll · mate · stick · spring · rush · net

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mate — to breed
  6. roll — a list
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. net — after costs
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. roll — a cake
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spring — a coil
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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