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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. band — a ring
  5. scale — in music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. scale — size or range
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bowl — to roll

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