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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bank — for money
  8. mug — a cup
  9. firm — decided
  10. mug — a face
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. band — a music group
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bank — of a river
  17. firm — steady
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — a company
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. tube — the underground

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