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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: suit · stick · ruler · content · band · bass · rush · wind

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bass — low music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wind — moving air
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. band — a music group
  16. content — the amount
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. suit — in cards
  21. content — happy
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. band — a ring

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