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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. band — a ring
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. scale — in music
  21. band — a music group
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — for weighing

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