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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. mate — to breed
  3. squash — the sport
  4. band — a ring
  5. mate — a partner
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. squash — to crush
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. coach — a trainer

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