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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: pop · ball · band · cap · calf · cabinet · spring · arm

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pop — to visit
  4. spring — of water
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. band — a music group
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cap — a hat
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spring — the season
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pop — music
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cap — of ice
  19. band — a ring
  20. spring — a coil
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pop — soda
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. calf — a young animal

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