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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bore — to drill
  3. staff — employees
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lie — to recline
  9. scale — in music
  10. staff — employees
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. band — a music group
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. staff — a stick
  18. deal — to handle
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. band — a ring
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — a big deal

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