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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: foot · ruler · temple · net · cap · band · roll · stock

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stock — goods
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a lid
  5. net — after costs
  6. roll — a cake
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. net — for catching
  11. band — a music group
  12. roll — a list
  13. band — a ring
  14. net — in sport
  15. cap — of ice
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stock — shares
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. foot — a measure

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