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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. band — a ring
  8. saw — the tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rash — a series
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. suit — in cards
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. band — a music group
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. racket — for tennis

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