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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 · object · tear · fan · deal · charge · prune · jam

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. charge — in control
  6. prune — to trim
  7. object — an aim
  8. tear — from crying
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. band — a music group
  11. object — to protest
  12. tear — to rip
  13. charge — a price
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. prune — to trim
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — to handle
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tear — from crying
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. object — a thing

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