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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. band — a ring
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. band — a music group
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bat — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bank — for money
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bank — for money
  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