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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. charge — in control
  3. club — for golf
  4. charge — a price
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. mate — a friend
  9. club — a group
  10. net — for catching
  11. mate — a partner
  12. charge — electricity
  13. net — in sport
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mug — a cup
  23. net — after costs
  24. deal — an agreement

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