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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. charge — in control
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bass — low music
  9. game — a match
  10. band — a music group
  11. current — happening now
  12. drill — the tool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. drill — army training
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. charge — a price
  17. current — electric
  18. charge — electricity
  19. game — wild animals
  20. craft — a skill
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. band — a ring
  23. craft — boats
  24. current — of water

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