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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. saw — the tool
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. club — for golf
  7. pass — a permit
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. band — a music group
  11. saw — the tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. board — a committee
  19. club — a group
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hand — help
  23. band — a ring
  24. club — for dancing

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