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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. band — a music group
  7. swing — music
  8. craft — boats
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. band — a ring
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bass — low music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bass — the fish
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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