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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. tube — a container
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. object — to protest
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. firm — a company
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. object — a thing
  12. board — a committee
  13. band — a ring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. board — to get on
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. band — a music group
  24. deal — an agreement

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