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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stock — shares
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a ring
  7. mate — a friend
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. can — a tin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitch — completely
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stock — goods
  24. band — a music group

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