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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rock — music
  6. firm — decided
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. band — a music group
  9. rock — a stone
  10. hand — help
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a ring
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. firm — steady
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — a company
  24. hand — in cards

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