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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.

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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. court — of law
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fine — high quality
  5. court — of a king
  6. band — a ring
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. charge — in control
  9. band — a music group
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fine — all right
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. vault — a safe
  17. date — the fruit
  18. charge — a price
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. branch — a division
  24. court — for sport

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