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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. tear — from crying
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mug — a cup
  5. swing — to play on
  6. tear — from crying
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cap — a lid
  9. tear — to rip
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. cap — a hat
  13. swing — in golf
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. press — a publisher
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mug — to rob
  18. press — to push
  19. swing — music
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mug — a face

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