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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. wake — a trail
  3. band — a music group
  4. present — there
  5. press — to push
  6. sharp — clever
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. suit — to fit
  14. press — newspapers
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. present — a gift
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. suit — in cards
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. band — a ring
  24. present — the time now

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