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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 120 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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pop — soda
  6. chair — a leader
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pop — music
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. band — a ring
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pop — to visit
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chair — a professorship

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