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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. firm — a company
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. firm — steady
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — the sport
  11. rush — hurry
  12. band — a music group
  13. firm — decided
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. band — a ring
  18. deal — to handle
  19. squash — to crush
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. drill — army training
  22. cap — a lid
  23. drill — the tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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