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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. present — the time now
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. cap — a hat
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. present — a gift
  7. band — a music group
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. content — the amount
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. dip — to sink
  14. present — there
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. content — happy
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bore — to tire
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bore — to drill
  24. content — videos and posts

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