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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. rush — hurry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — government
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cold — an illness
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. band — a music group
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bank — for money
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cold — not warm
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fine — all right
  24. band — a ring

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