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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 120 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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rash — hasty
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pop — soda
  12. vault — a safe
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pop — music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. band — a music group
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rash — a series
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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