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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. content — happy
  3. rule — a law
  4. band — a ring
  5. rule — government
  6. cap — a lid
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. band — a music group
  16. firm — decided
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. kick — in football

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