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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. band — a ring
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. swing — music
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bore — to tire
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. band — a music group
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. racket — for tennis

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