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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. spring — a coil
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. press — newspapers
  7. charge — a price
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. press — to push
  14. spring — of water
  15. prune — to trim
  16. band — a ring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. press — a publisher
  20. spring — the season
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — army training

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