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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.

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: squash · racket · row · drill · band · bulb · march · staff

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. march — the month
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. band — a ring
  8. drill — army training
  9. row — a line
  10. staff — employees
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. march — the month
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. drill — the tool
  18. band — a music group
  19. march — music
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bulb — for light
  22. staff — employees
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. staff — a stick

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