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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: pound · key · spell · band · deal · fine · roll · rash

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. spell — magic
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. roll — a list
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fine — all right
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. roll — a cake
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fine — high quality
  21. band — a music group
  22. spell — letters
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pound — for dogs

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