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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. club — a group
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. staff — a stick
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. staff — employees
  11. band — a music group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. band — a ring
  18. club — for golf

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