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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pop — soda
  4. band — a ring
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. firm — decided
  8. can — a tin
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pop — to visit
  11. can — to be able to
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. firm — a company
  15. can — a tin
  16. firm — steady
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. charge — a price
  20. mark — a grade
  21. band — a music group
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pop — music

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