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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pass — a permit
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. band — a music group
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. band — a ring
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. kick — in football
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — with a leg

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