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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bank — for money
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. land — a country
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a music group
  7. present — there
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. land — ground
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. lie — to recline
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. land — to come down
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — in cards

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