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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. press — newspapers
  3. current — happening now
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. can — to be able to
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. can — a tin
  10. band — a ring
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — a publisher
  13. wind — moving air
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. current — electric
  19. wind — moving air
  20. press — to push
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. current — of water
  23. band — a music group
  24. can — a tin

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