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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 116 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. object — an aim
  5. degree — from a university
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. object — to protest
  9. root — of a word
  10. craft — boats
  11. band — a ring
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — the cause
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. craft — a skill
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. object — a thing
  22. degree — an amount
  23. root — of a plant
  24. degree — temperature

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