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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: drill · stand · ruler · mug · band · sharp · rock · lean

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mug — a cup
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rock — music
  7. lean — thin
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. band — a music group
  20. mug — a face
  21. drill — army training
  22. sharp — clever
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stand — to bear

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