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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spring — the season
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. clip — a video
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — a grade
  12. clip — for paper
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spring — a coil
  20. band — a music group
  21. spring — of water
  22. band — a ring
  23. clip — to cut
  24. hide — to keep secret

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