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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. march — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bore — to drill
  6. march — the month
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. march — the month
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bear — the animal
  11. band — a music group
  12. tear — from crying
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bore — to tire
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. band — a ring
  21. bear — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bore — gave birth

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