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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bound — tied together
  3. suit — in cards
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. row — a line
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bound — obliged
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bound — certain
  10. dip — to sink
  11. roll — a cake
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. band — a ring
  14. press — a publisher
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rock — music
  17. suit — to fit
  18. roll — a list
  19. press — newspapers
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. suit — clothes
  22. press — to push
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. rock — a stone

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