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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bound — certain
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — a company
  8. sharp — clever
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pound — a weight
  12. firm — decided
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rash — a series
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bound — tied together
  18. firm — steady
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. can — a tin

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