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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.

Make a worksheet

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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. last — finally
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. row — to paddle
  7. march — music
  8. row — a line
  9. mug — to rob
  10. band — a ring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. march — the month
  14. band — a music group
  15. last — final
  16. mug — a face
  17. last — to go on
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. march — the month
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chair — a leader

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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