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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 116 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: staff · band · net · lie · pound · rush · ruler · fork

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. net — in sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. staff — a stick
  12. net — after costs
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. net — for catching
  15. rush — hurry
  16. staff — employees
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — employees
  24. rush — a thrill

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