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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. cue — a hint
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fine — all right
  5. pop — soda
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a music group
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cue — for pool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pop — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pop — to visit
  21. band — a ring
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. key — in music

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