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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. game — wild animals
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bank — of a river
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. swing — to play on
  10. game — a match
  11. bank — for money
  12. band — a ring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. band — a music group
  15. swing — music
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. swing — in golf
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. vault — a safe

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