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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. march — the month
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. march — music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. march — the month
  10. season — of the year
  11. current — happening now
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. rash — a series
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. band — a ring
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rash — hasty
  22. current — electric
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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