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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. stock — shares
  5. bound — tied together
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bound — certain
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. press — a publisher
  10. charge — in control
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bat — the animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. press — to push
  19. bound — obliged
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cell — a phone
  22. charge — electricity
  23. band — a ring
  24. charge — a price

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