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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. staff — employees
  4. suit — clothes
  5. band — a ring
  6. saw — the tool
  7. suit — in cards
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bound — certain
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bound — obliged
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pit — in a race
  17. staff — a stick
  18. race — humankind
  19. band — a music group
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bound — tied together
  23. saw — the tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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