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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 120 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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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 music group
  3. stock — shares
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. foot — a measure
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stock — goods
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. track — a song
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a ring
  20. deal — to handle
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. hide — to keep secret

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