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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a ring
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. drill — army training
  6. band — a music group
  7. pit — in a race
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. drill — a practice
  18. suit — to fit
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ground — a position
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — to trim
  24. suit — clothes

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