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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cabinet · pop · cell · bound · fine · rash · saw

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cell — in biology
  4. fine — all right
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pop — soda
  8. band — a music group
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — obliged
  13. rash — a series
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. fine — high quality
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pop — music
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bound — certain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cell — a phone
  24. rash — on the skin

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