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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. firm — decided
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. firm — steady
  5. band — a music group
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. drill — the tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — a company
  11. bass — low music
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. band — a ring
  15. drill — army training
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. drill — a practice
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ball — a great time
  24. calf — a young animal

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