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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. spell — a short time
  3. band — a music group
  4. object — a thing
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. game — wild animals
  7. spell — magic
  8. object — to protest
  9. band — a ring
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. object — an aim
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. spell — letters
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. game — a match
  22. tube — the underground
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tube — a container

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