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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 124 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a ring
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pass — a permit
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rock — music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. sharp — clever
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. band — a rubber band

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