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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a song
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. charge — a price
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. staff — a stick
  12. charge — in control
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — a path
  16. band — a music group
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. fine — all right
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. band — a ring

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