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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 124 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. can — a tin
  5. pop — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. chest — a box
  8. tube — a container
  9. can — to be able to
  10. tube — the underground
  11. band — a ring
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chest — of your body
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. suit — in cards
  18. band — a music group
  19. press — a publisher
  20. chest — of your body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. track — a path
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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