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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 · date · root · jam · saw · pop · stand

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. saw — the tool
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pop — to visit
  5. band — a ring
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. root — the cause
  15. pop — music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. band — a music group
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. root — of a word
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pop — soda

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