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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rock — a stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. band — a ring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fall — the season
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ruler — a monarch

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