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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.

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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. vault — a safe
  3. last — to go on
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. march — the month
  9. track — a path
  10. march — the month
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. march — music
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. last — finally
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. track — to keep track
  23. last — final
  24. track — a song

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