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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: rule · wave · sharp · racket · band · fine · pass · arm

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fine — high quality
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pass — a permit
  14. band — a music group
  15. rule — a law
  16. sharp — clever
  17. fine — all right
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rule — government
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. band — a ring
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. arm — a part of something

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