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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 120 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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. current — electric
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rash — a series
  8. current — happening now
  9. bat — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. drill — army training
  15. current — of water
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bank — for money
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stand — to bear
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. band — a music group
  24. bank — for money

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