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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a dance
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kid — child
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. drill — the tool
  13. band — a music group
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. saw — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. bank — of a river
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rock — music
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bank — for money
  24. kid — to tease

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