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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: band · plane · swing · rule · hand · stand · rock · object

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rock — music
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. rule — government
  10. swing — to play on
  11. hand — help
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. band — a music group
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rule — a law
  20. plane — a tool
  21. swing — music
  22. band — a ring
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rock — to move gently

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