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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. suit — in cards
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cue — a signal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. band — a ring
  9. face — to confront
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wake — a trail
  15. face — part of the head
  16. suit — to fit
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. track — a song
  19. face — to point toward
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cue — for pool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. suit — clothes

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