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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. band — a music group
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. band — a ring
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. hand — help
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. capital — a city
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bound — obliged
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. saw — the tool
  24. band — a rubber band

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