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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. spring — the season
  3. pitch — completely
  4. band — a ring
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rush — hurry
  7. spring — a coil
  8. firm — steady
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mug — to rob
  14. spring — of water
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. firm — decided
  20. mug — a face
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. firm — a company
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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