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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. band — a music group
  5. wax — to grow
  6. face — to confront
  7. pop — to visit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. key — the most important part
  11. face — part of the head
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — for a lock
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pop — soda
  17. band — a ring
  18. pop — music
  19. pit — in a race
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stock — goods
  23. key — in music
  24. stock — shares

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