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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: rock · rule · band · coach · ruler · saw · cabinet · content

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. band — a ring
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. rule — a law
  6. band — a music group
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rule — government
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rock — music
  24. content — the amount

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