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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 116 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 · nail · stick · mine · charge · bulb · present · rash

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. band — a ring
  7. present — a gift
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rash — a series
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mine — for digging
  15. charge — electricity
  16. present — the time now
  17. band — a music group
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. present — there
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rash — hasty

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