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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 124 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. band — a music group
  3. rash — hasty
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bound — certain
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — a committee
  9. bulb — for light
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bound — obliged
  12. season — of the year
  13. bound — tied together
  14. board — to get on
  15. season — in sport
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. band — a ring
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rash — a series
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rash — on the skin
  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