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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.

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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: pound · band · bay · bass · fan · rock · bound · charge

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bass — low music
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. band — a ring
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rock — a stone
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. pound — a weight
  23. band — a music group
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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