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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a ring
  7. mug — a face
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mark — a trace
  10. band — a music group
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fall — the season
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mark — to pay attention

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