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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. scale — in music
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. face — to point toward
  6. spell — magic
  7. bound — certain
  8. spell — letters
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — a short time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. face — to confront
  15. band — a music group
  16. suit — in cards
  17. scale — size or range
  18. band — a ring
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. face — part of the head

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