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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a ring
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — the animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. press — to push
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. firm — steady
  9. can — a tin
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. can — a tin
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. firm — decided
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. branch — a division
  18. firm — a company
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. press — a publisher
  23. band — a music group
  24. toast — bread

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