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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — shares
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. band — a ring
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stock — goods
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. chip — to eat
  20. band — a music group
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mine — for digging

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