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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. net — in sport
  3. rock — a stone
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. net — after costs
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rock — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. net — for catching
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. band — a music group
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. band — a ring
  20. lean — thin
  21. swing — music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lean — to bend

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