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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 · rule · pitcher · suit · band · charge · ball · rest

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ball — a dance
  6. charge — in control
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rest — a break
  10. charge — a price
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. net — in sport
  13. suit — in cards
  14. net — after costs
  15. rule — a law
  16. band — a ring
  17. rule — government
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rest — what's left
  20. band — a music group
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — electricity

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