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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. swing — to play on
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. swing — music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ground — a position
  8. band — a music group
  9. ground — crushed
  10. swing — in golf
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. band — a ring
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ground — the earth
  24. board — a committee

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