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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: roll · arm · patient · ruler · band · can · pass · chest

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. roll — a list
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. roll — a cake
  10. chest — a box
  11. band — a music group
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chest — of your body
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. can — a tin
  16. band — a ring
  17. chest — of your body
  18. pass — a permit
  19. can — a tin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. arm — part of the body

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