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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: net · present · march · suit · ruler · wave · rush · craft

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. net — in sport
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. march — music
  6. present — the time now
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. net — for catching
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. present — a gift
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — clothes
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — to fit
  24. net — after costs

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