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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 116 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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hand — in cards
  6. band — a ring
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. hand — help
  10. chip — to eat
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. chip — for betting
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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