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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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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 · mug · march · root · bowl · band · trunk · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. root — the cause
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. march — the month
  5. mug — to rob
  6. firm — decided
  7. march — music
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. band — a music group
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. band — a ring
  15. march — the month
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mug — a face
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. mug — a cup
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. firm — steady

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