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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. ball — a dance
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. band — a ring
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. row — a line
  16. pound — a weight
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. band — a music group
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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