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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. track — a path
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. track — a song
  13. bulb — for light
  14. band — a music group
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chair — a leader
  17. band — a ring
  18. cell — a phone
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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