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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 120 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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. band — a music group
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bound — certain
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bound — obliged
  13. lie — to recline
  14. squash — the sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stock — shares
  23. can — a tin
  24. bound — tied together

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