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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. band — a ring
  3. firm — a company
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fine — all right
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — decided
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ball — a dance
  19. band — a music group
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. firm — steady
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mouse — the animal

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