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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mug — a face
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. present — a gift
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. present — there
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. band — a ring
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bank — of a river
  21. present — the time now
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bank — for money

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