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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. firm — a company
  4. band — a music group
  5. firm — decided
  6. bound — certain
  7. wax — to grow
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. chair — a leader
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. firm — steady
  13. spell — magic
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bound — tied together
  17. scale — in music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a ring
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — obliged
  22. scale — size or range
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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