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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 120 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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bank — for money
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bank — of a river
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bulb — for light
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bound — certain
  24. band — a ring

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