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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. craft — a skill
  3. charge — electricity
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. charge — a price
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bound — obliged
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. spell — magic
  14. craft — boats
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. band — a ring
  18. press — to push
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — certain
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. press — newspapers
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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