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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. game — a match
  4. object — to protest
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bear — the animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. object — an aim
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. band — a ring
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. band — a music group
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. object — a thing
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wave — of the sea

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