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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. current — happening now
  3. press — newspapers
  4. can — to be able to
  5. band — a music group
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. can — a tin
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. can — a tin
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. press — to push
  14. current — electric
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wax — to grow
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fine — all right
  19. current — of water
  20. band — a ring
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. trunk — of a tree

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