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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. band — a ring
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. band — a music group
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pound — a weight
  13. prune — to trim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cue — a signal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cue — a hint

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