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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a ring
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. suit — in cards
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. band — a rubber band

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