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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bass — the fish
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. object — to protest
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. season — in sport
  8. object — an aim
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. band — a music group
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. capital — money
  20. object — a thing
  21. season — of the year
  22. capital — a city
  23. bass — low music
  24. band — a ring

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