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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. band — a music group
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. craft — boats
  6. charge — in control
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bass — low music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. band — a ring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. charge — a price
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bass — the fish
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. charge — electricity

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