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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. deal — to handle
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. season — in sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. season — of the year
  16. face — to point toward
  17. toast — bread
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rash — a series
  21. face — to confront
  22. rash — hasty
  23. face — part of the head
  24. season — to add flavour

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