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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
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: pit · bore · current · band · temple · arm · scale · ball

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pit — a hole
  4. scale — in music
  5. band — a ring
  6. ball — a great time
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. current — happening now
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. ball — a dance
  16. current — electric
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — to tire
  19. band — a music group
  20. bore — to drill
  21. scale — size or range
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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