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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. branch — a division
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. band — a ring
  6. mug — to rob
  7. suit — clothes
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. march — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mug — a cup
  15. chip — for betting
  16. march — the month
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mug — a face
  19. vault — a safe
  20. march — the month
  21. chip — to eat
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. band — a rubber band

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