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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rock — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. band — a ring
  8. last — finally
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rash — a series
  12. file — a document
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. file — a line of people
  15. tube — a container
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. last — final
  18. band — a music group
  19. rock — a stone
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. last — to go on
  24. ruler — a monarch

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