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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. present — a gift
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. band — a ring
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. club — for golf
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. club — a group
  16. present — there
  17. band — a music group
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bank — for money
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — the time now

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