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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. band — a ring
  4. land — ground
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. can — to be able to
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. can — a tin
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — to bear
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. land — a country
  21. can — a tin
  22. land — to come down
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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