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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — rain
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. band — a ring
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. shower — to wash
  10. capital — money
  11. band — a music group
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bound — certain
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. snap — to click
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bound — obliged
  20. capital — a city
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. ruler — a monarch

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