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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bank — of a river
  6. present — a gift
  7. board — a committee
  8. bank — for money
  9. band — a ring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. band — a music group
  18. present — there
  19. board — to get on
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mug — to rob
  22. present — the time now
  23. mug — a face
  24. tear — to rip

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