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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. club — for dancing
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rest — a break
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bass — low music
  10. tube — a container
  11. band — a ring
  12. prune — to trim
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — to rob
  17. club — a group
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. band — a music group
  21. club — for golf
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mug — a face

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