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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rule — a law
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. season — of the year
  14. band — a music group
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. season — in sport
  17. march — music
  18. hand — help
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. squash — the sport
  21. band — a ring
  22. hand — in cards
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. rule — government

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