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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. craft — boats
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to click
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. shower — to wash
  19. band — a music group
  20. bank — of a river
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. shower — rain
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — for money

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