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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. season — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bulb — for light
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. staff — a stick
  8. rash — hasty
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a music group
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rash — a series
  14. band — a ring
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. season — of the year
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. staff — employees
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. staff — employees
  24. rash — on the skin

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