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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. shower — to wash
  3. firm — a company
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lie — to recline
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. roll — a cake
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. firm — steady
  10. shower — rain
  11. firm — decided
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. band — a music group
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. band — a ring
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. hide — animal skin

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