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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  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. date — on the calendar
  3. band — a music group
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. roll — a list
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. roll — a cake
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. date — the fruit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. date — on the calendar
  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