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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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a music group
  7. present — there
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. ground — the earth
  10. pop — soda
  11. band — a ring
  12. rock — music
  13. ground — a position
  14. present — the time now
  15. pop — to visit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pop — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ground — crushed
  24. present — a gift

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