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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: chest · racket · staff · tear · ruler · lie · band · safe

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. tear — from crying
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — employees
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chest — of your body
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. tear — from crying
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. band — a ring
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. staff — a stick
  23. tear — to rip
  24. chest — a box

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