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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. band — a music group
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. net — after costs
  5. prune — to trim
  6. net — in sport
  7. file — a document
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. net — for catching
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. band — a ring
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fine — all right
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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