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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: band · ruler · current · pitch · mug · lash · ball · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mug — a cup
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ball — a great time
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. current — happening now
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. current — electric
  12. land — to come down
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mug — to rob
  18. land — ground
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. mug — a face
  23. current — of water
  24. pitch — completely

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