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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mug — a face
  5. clip — for paper
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mate — to breed
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rash — a series
  10. band — a ring
  11. mate — a friend
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. clip — a video
  15. mate — a partner
  16. band — a music group
  17. mug — to rob
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. clip — to cut
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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