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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 116 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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. game — a match
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rest — what's left
  10. game — wild animals
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. craft — boats
  13. band — a music group
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rest — a break
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. suit — in cards

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