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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. season — in sport
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cell — in biology
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. suit — clothes
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. band — a music group
  19. chip — for betting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. suit — in cards
  22. season — of the year
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. chip — in a computer

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