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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rest — what's left
  3. firm — a company
  4. band — a ring
  5. rest — a break
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — certain
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bound — obliged
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. bound — tied together
  24. band — a music group

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