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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. court — of a king
  4. band — a ring
  5. bore — to tire
  6. band — a music group
  7. court — of law
  8. bulb — for light
  9. court — for sport
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — a hint
  16. present — there
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rest — a break
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fork — to eat with

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