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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hand — help
  7. content — the amount
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. hand — in cards
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — music
  17. band — a ring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. content — happy
  21. band — a music group
  22. lie — to recline
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. lie — an untruth

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