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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · bass · toast · bark · jam · march · band · bore

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. band — a ring
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rule — government
  7. bore — to drill
  8. march — music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. march — the month
  11. band — a music group
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bass — low music
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rule — a law
  16. toast — bread
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bore — to tire
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. march — the month
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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