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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bass — the fish
  3. file — a document
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — in cards
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. file — a line of people
  10. band — a music group
  11. bass — low music
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. staff — a stick
  15. game — wild animals
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. staff — employees
  21. file — a tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. game — a match
  24. band — a ring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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