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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. toast — bread
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — help
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wind — moving air
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. band — a music group
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. band — a ring
  24. toast — the most admired

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