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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bass — the fish
  4. march — the month
  5. bass — low music
  6. band — a music group
  7. deal — to handle
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. tear — to rip
  12. key — the most important part
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. band — a ring
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. key — for a lock
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. tear — from crying
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bowl — a dish

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