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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. suit — in cards
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. craft — boats
  8. pop — music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — clothes
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pop — soda
  16. hand — help
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. band — a music group
  19. pop — to visit
  20. band — a ring
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mark — a grade

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