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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rash — hasty
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. band — a music group
  8. bass — the fish
  9. band — a ring
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a grade
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bass — low music
  24. rash — a series

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