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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. suit — clothes
  4. saw — the tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rush — hurry
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. band — a ring
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. band — a music group
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rush — a thrill

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