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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. band — a rubber band
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitch — completely
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. tube — a container
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. current — of water
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. pop — soda
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pop — to visit
  19. net — after costs
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pop — music
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. current — electric
  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