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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. tube — a container
  3. board — to get on
  4. suit — clothes
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. board — a committee
  8. fork — in a road
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. suit — in cards
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mate — to breed
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mate — a friend
  20. band — a ring
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — the fish
  24. band — a rubber band

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