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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. face — to confront
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. band — a ring
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. kid — child
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bound — certain
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. toast — bread
  17. band — a music group
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — tied together
  22. face — to point toward
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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