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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. toast — bread
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitch — completely
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bulb — for light
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pitch — a sports field

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