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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. lean — thin
  9. fork — in a road
  10. swing — to play on
  11. band — a ring
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rule — a law
  19. band — a music group
  20. swing — music
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rule — government
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mate — a friend

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