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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bass — low music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bass — the fish
  17. plane — a tool
  18. firm — decided
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mark — a grade
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. band — a music group
  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