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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: stand · rush · arm · toast · band · lie · rule · track

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lie — to recline
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. toast — bread
  10. track — to keep track
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. track — a path
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. band — a music group
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. track — a song

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