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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rest — what's left
  5. band — a ring
  6. stand — to bear
  7. content — happy
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bass — the fish
  11. object — an aim
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rest — a break
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bass — low music
  18. object — to protest
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rock — music
  21. object — a thing
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. band — a music group
  24. content — the amount

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