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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. charge — a price
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. charge — in control
  5. spring — the season
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. spring — of water
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bear — the animal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. clip — a video
  18. band — a ring
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. clip — for paper
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. clip — to cut
  24. band — a music group

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