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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 · game · cap · suit · content · club · ruler · present

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. cap — a lid
  3. club — a group
  4. content — the amount
  5. suit — clothes
  6. club — for golf
  7. cap — of ice
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a music group
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. game — wild animals
  19. club — for dancing
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. game — a match
  23. suit — in cards
  24. content — happy

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