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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · present · roll · mouse · nail · band · object · land

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. land — to come down
  3. present — there
  4. band — a music group
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. band — a ring
  9. land — ground
  10. present — a gift
  11. roll — a list
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. roll — a cake
  16. present — the time now
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. land — a country
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. object — to protest
  24. nail — for a hammer

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