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

Word bank: kick · swing · rest · band · ruler · rush

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rush — hurry
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. band — a ring
  10. swing — music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. rest — a break
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rest — what's left

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