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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. band — a ring
  5. fine — high quality
  6. staff — employees
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fine — all right
  9. staff — employees
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — music
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. band — a music group

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