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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — to protest
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spell — letters
  11. track — a path
  12. object — a thing
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. band — a music group
  17. suit — in cards
  18. board — to get on
  19. object — an aim
  20. pound — a weight
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. band — a ring
  24. board — a flat piece

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