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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stock — shares
  5. band — a ring
  6. bark — to shout
  7. band — a music group
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stock — goods
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. ground — crushed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. ground — a position
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ball — a dance

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