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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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 music group
  3. hand — help
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. hand — in cards
  7. can — a tin
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. can — a tin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. band — a ring
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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