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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: jam · rush · roll · race · band · drill · stick · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a ring
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. band — a music group
  10. roll — a cake
  11. drill — a practice
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. roll — a list
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. race — a contest
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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