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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. firm — decided
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. fine — high quality
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pitch — completely
  7. firm — a company
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. track — a path
  10. band — a ring
  11. tube — the underground
  12. firm — steady
  13. track — to keep track
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. tube — a container
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fine — all right
  21. band — a music group
  22. game — a match
  23. track — a song
  24. tube — in a tire

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