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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ruler · band · rush · march · rule · pitcher · stand · perch

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stand — to bear
  3. band — a ring
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. band — a music group
  8. rush — hurry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. march — the month
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. march — the month
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rule — a law
  23. march — music
  24. stand — for spectators

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