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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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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. suit — to fit
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. suit — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. tube — a container
  14. net — after costs
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a music group
  20. tube — the underground
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. band — a ring
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stand — on your feet

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