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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rock — a stone
  3. band — a music group
  4. date — the fruit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rock — music
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bulb — for light

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