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

Word bank: dip · band · club · suit · bowl · temple · race · bore

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. race — humankind
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. band — a music group
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. club — for golf
  10. race — a contest
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — to fit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. race — the arms race
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — to drill
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — in cards
  22. band — a ring
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. dip — to sink

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