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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. drill — the tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. band — a ring
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. board — to get on
  12. perch — the fish
  13. drill — a practice
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — a committee
  16. drill — army training
  17. band — a music group
  18. hide — animal skin

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