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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 116 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. tear — from crying
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fine — all right
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. tear — from crying
  12. court — of a king
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — high quality
  15. court — for sport
  16. tear — to rip
  17. band — a ring
  18. court — of law
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. squash — the sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. band — a music group
  24. deal — an agreement

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