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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · fine · spell · band · hide · wake

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. 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 music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wake — a trail
  5. spell — letters
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. spell — magic
  8. fine — high quality
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fine — all right
  12. band — a ring
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — a short time
  18. 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