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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. band — a ring
  7. ball — a great time
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. band — a music group
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bass — low music

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