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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a music group
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a face
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — for betting
  15. hand — in cards
  16. key — in music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. key — the most important part
  19. hand — help
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mug — to rob
  22. band — a ring
  23. net — after costs
  24. key — for a lock

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