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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. band — a music group
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bear — the animal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bass — low music
  24. band — a ring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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