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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. band — a ring
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. root — of a plant
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kid — to tease
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. root — the cause
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. shower — rain
  13. kid — child
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. root — of a word
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. band — a music group
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — clothes
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. suit — in cards

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