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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. band — a ring
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. deal — to handle
  8. march — music
  9. cap — a hat
  10. track — a path
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — of ice
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. track — a song
  18. band — a music group
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rest — a break
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cap — a lid

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