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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. firm — steady
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. face — to point toward
  7. band — a ring
  8. firm — decided
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. band — a music group
  11. face — part of the head
  12. sharp — clever
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. face — to confront
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. content — the amount
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. drill — army training
  19. firm — a company
  20. content — happy
  21. drill — a practice
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pass — a permit
  24. drill — the tool

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