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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. band — a ring
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bank — for money
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bank — for money
  11. file — a document
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. file — a line of people
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. file — a tool
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bank — of a river
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. band — a music group
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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