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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ground — the earth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rush — hurry
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ground — a position
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rock — music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rush — to hurry

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