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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wind — moving air
  4. spell — magic
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a music group
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spell — letters
  14. band — a ring
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. spell — a short time
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mark — a trace

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