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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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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 · fork · ruler · ball · march · stand · staff · root

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. net — in sport
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — to bear
  5. march — the month
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. march — music
  9. staff — employees
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. staff — a stick
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a dance
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. staff — employees
  20. net — for catching
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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