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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. club — for golf
  4. mark — a trace
  5. board — to get on
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ball — a great time
  8. board — a committee
  9. stock — shares
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. club — a group
  15. stand — to bear
  16. band — a ring
  17. mark — a grade
  18. band — a music group
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stock — goods
  24. board — a flat piece

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