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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. object — a thing
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. band — a music group
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. ball — a great time
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. kick — in football
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fine — high quality
  20. board — a committee
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. fine — all right
  24. band — a ring

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