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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. key — the most important part
  3. spell — magic
  4. bore — to tire
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. firm — decided
  7. spell — a short time
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. snap — to click
  13. key — in music
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. band — a ring
  16. bear — the animal
  17. band — a music group
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. firm — steady
  21. spell — letters
  22. firm — a company
  23. foot — a measure
  24. key — for a lock

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