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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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 music group
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. file — a document
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. file — a tool
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. file — a line of people
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bear — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. band — a ring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. staff — a stick
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — obliged
  23. dip — to sink
  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