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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. last — finally
  4. bound — tied together
  5. club — for dancing
  6. last — to go on
  7. bound — obliged
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bank — for money
  15. band — a music group
  16. bank — for money
  17. face — to confront
  18. last — final
  19. band — a ring
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bound — certain
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cap — of ice

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