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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a ring
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — hurry
  6. band — a music group
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pit — in a race
  10. track — a path
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. track — a song
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wound — an injury
  18. track — to keep track
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. can — a tin
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wound — an injury

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