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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. present — a gift
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. staff — employees
  5. wake — a trail
  6. band — a music group
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — there
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. present — the time now
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. bulb — for light

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