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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. object — a thing
  4. key — in music
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. band — a ring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. dip — to sink
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bulb — for light
  16. band — a music group
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — to protest
  22. lie — to recline
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. object — an aim

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