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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — to drill
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bore — to tire
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. band — a ring
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rock — music
  22. band — a music group
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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