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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. scale — size or range
  6. band — a ring
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stock — goods
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. scale — in music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. object — to protest
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. band — a music group
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitch — completely
  22. object — an aim
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. object — a thing

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