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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. band — a ring
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pop — music
  21. craft — boats
  22. band — a music group
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — a trail

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