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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a ring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — thin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — money
  16. rash — a series
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — a city
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mouse — the animal

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