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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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 ring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. object — a thing
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fine — high quality
  9. band — a music group
  10. object — an aim
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. object — to protest
  17. bank — for money
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fine — all right
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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