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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stand — to bear
  4. kick — in football
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — of a river
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. band — a ring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. band — a music group

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