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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 120 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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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: ruler · mouse · band · root · lie · club · pass · wind

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. club — a group
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. band — a ring
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. club — for golf
  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