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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. ground — the earth
  5. band — a ring
  6. ground — a position
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. firm — steady
  9. bound — tied together
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — certain
  12. ground — crushed
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bound — obliged
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. firm — decided

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