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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. present — there
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. present — the time now
  5. suit — to fit
  6. sharp — clever
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bear — the animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. present — a gift
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. band — a ring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. drill — army training
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. temple — a place of worship

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