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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mug — a cup
  3. club — a group
  4. chip — to eat
  5. band — a music group
  6. bound — obliged
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bound — tied together
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. club — for dancing
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. swing — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. swing — to play on
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. club — for golf
  21. bound — certain
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. band — a ring

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