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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. scale — in music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. band — a music group
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. club — for golf
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wind — moving air
  21. band — a ring
  22. club — a group
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. club — for dancing

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