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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cap — a hat
  7. scale — size or range
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — a break
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. charge — in control
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cap — of ice
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cap — a lid
  19. scale — in music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rest — what's left
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — a price

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