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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: band · track · bound · rock · bowl · object · staff · deal

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. object — to protest
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. object — a thing
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. track — a path
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rock — a stone
  13. object — an aim
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. track — a song
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bound — tied together
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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