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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spring — the season
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — there
  10. band — a music group
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. present — the time now
  13. saw — the tool
  14. band — a ring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mark — a grade
  17. spring — a coil
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lie — to recline
  20. spring — of water
  21. present — a gift
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bear — to put up with

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