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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. firm — decided
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. board — to get on
  5. band — a ring
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. board — a committee
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — a friend
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. squash — the sport
  24. board — a flat piece

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