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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. cell — a phone
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. band — a ring
  7. staff — a stick
  8. tube — a container
  9. bound — tied together
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cell — in biology
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. staff — employees
  20. band — a music group
  21. tube — the underground
  22. suit — to fit
  23. staff — employees
  24. pit — a hole

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