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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: band · club · lie · object · degree · nail · bowl · ruler

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. club — a group
  4. object — a thing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — an aim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. club — for golf
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. object — to protest
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. degree — temperature
  16. band — a music group
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. band — a ring
  19. degree — an amount
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. degree — from a university
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lie — to recline
  24. club — for dancing

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