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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. band — a music group
  11. last — finally
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bore — to drill
  20. last — final
  21. rule — government
  22. last — to go on
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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