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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — moving air
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. can — a tin
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. track — to keep track
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mark — a trace
  14. band — a music group
  15. track — a path
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wind — moving air
  20. track — a song
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bay — a horse colour

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