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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 124 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. band — a ring
  6. lean — thin
  7. band — a music group
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bass — low music
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lean — to bend
  24. patient — a sick person

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