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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. kick — in football
  5. band — a music group
  6. firm — steady
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rash — hasty
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fork — in a road
  15. band — a ring
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. rash — a series
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bass — low music
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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