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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. band — a ring
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mug — a cup
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. band — a music group
  14. mug — a face
  15. prune — to trim
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fall — to drop
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mug — to rob
  24. prune — the fruit

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