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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. staff — employees
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a ring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. lean — thin
  24. deal — an agreement

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