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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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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. band — a ring
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. current — electric
  10. band — a music group
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. current — of water
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. current — happening now

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