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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. suit — clothes
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — music
  5. band — a music group
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. charge — electricity
  10. file — a tool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. band — a ring
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — soda
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. charge — in control
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. charge — a price

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