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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. band — a music group
  8. fine — high quality
  9. board — to get on
  10. fine — all right
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. band — a ring
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music

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