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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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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 · present · current · band · cap · net · deal · shower

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — the time now
  6. shower — to wash
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. band — a ring
  9. cap — a hat
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. present — a gift
  12. net — for catching
  13. present — there
  14. shower — rain
  15. deal — to handle
  16. net — in sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. net — after costs
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. current — happening now
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cap — a lid
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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