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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spring — the season
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. key — for a lock
  11. band — a music group
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. band — a ring
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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