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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: band · rest · ruler · temple · wind · scale

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. 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. band — a rubber band
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. band — a ring
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wind — moving air
  16. band — a music group
  17. rest — a break
  18. 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