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

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. scale — size or range
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — to recline
  6. present — the time now
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — a gift
  11. band — a music group
  12. scale — in music
  13. band — a ring
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. present — there

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