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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. band — a ring
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. board — to get on
  9. root — of a plant
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. root — the cause
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — of a word
  17. vault — a safe
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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