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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. band — a ring
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. land — a country
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mate — to breed
  9. land — to come down
  10. mate — a partner
  11. band — a music group
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stand — to bear
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. land — ground
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pit — a hole

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