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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: rash · band · board · bowl · key · ruler · tear · rest

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rest — what's left
  6. key — in music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tear — to rip
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. tear — from crying
  14. band — a music group
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rest — a break
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. key — for a lock
  20. board — a committee
  21. key — the most important part
  22. board — to get on
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bowl — a football final

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