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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 120 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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. present — a gift
  3. club — for dancing
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — for golf
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. present — there
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. firm — a company
  12. root — of a plant
  13. firm — steady
  14. present — the time now
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. root — the cause
  17. pit — a hole
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. band — a ring
  21. club — a group
  22. pit — in a race
  23. root — of a word
  24. firm — decided

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