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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — there
  5. firm — a company
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. band — a music group
  10. track — to keep track
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. track — a song
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — to get on
  15. hand — help
  16. track — a path
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. object — a thing
  19. board — a committee
  20. object — to protest
  21. band — a ring
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. present — a gift

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