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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. squash — to crush
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. foot — a measure
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. face — to point toward
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. craft — a skill
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. face — to confront
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. face — part of the head
  21. band — a music group
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — boats
  24. track — a song

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