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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. cell — in biology
  4. firm — a company
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. dip — to sink
  8. band — a ring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. firm — decided
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bank — for money
  18. band — a music group
  19. cell — a phone
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wave — with your hand

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