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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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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: snap · board · rash · mug · rule · band · jam · saw

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. board — to get on
  4. band — a music group
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mug — a cup
  7. board — a committee
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. snap — to click
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rule — government
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rule — a law
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rash — hasty
  21. band — a ring
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mug — a face

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