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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — decided
  6. file — a document
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. band — a music group
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. file — a tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. band — a ring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. firm — a company
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. file — a line of people
  21. rest — what's left
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rest — a break

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