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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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. vault — in gymnastics
  4. band — a music group
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. band — a ring
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. vault — a safe
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pound — a weight
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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