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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. band — a ring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. hand — help
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rash — a series
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bore — to tire
  24. firm — decided

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