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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — a face
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mug — a cup
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lean — thin
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fine — all right
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lean — to rest against

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