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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 116 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. row — a line
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cell — a phone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. object — a thing
  9. row — to paddle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mug — to rob
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. object — to protest
  15. band — a ring
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cell — in biology
  21. ground — the earth
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stand — to bear
  24. object — an aim

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