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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a music group
  3. mark — a grade
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — decided
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — steady
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mark — a trace
  13. firm — a company
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret

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