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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: season · racket · wake · band · bulb · coach · bound · mark

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. season — in sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. band — a music group
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bound — certain
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. band — a ring
  18. wake — a trail
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. season — of the year
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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