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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. band — a ring
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. board — a committee
  24. ball — a round shape

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