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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — in music
  3. bank — of a river
  4. staff — employees
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bank — for money
  11. band — a ring
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bank — for money
  19. staff — employees
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. staff — a stick
  23. band — a music group
  24. ruler — for measuring

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