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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bound — obliged
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. craft — boats
  6. track — a path
  7. craft — a skill
  8. band — a music group
  9. track — a song
  10. firm — steady
  11. track — to keep track
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bound — certain
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rash — a series
  16. game — wild animals
  17. band — a ring
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bound — tied together
  20. firm — decided
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. firm — a company
  23. mug — a face
  24. rash — hasty

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