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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: object · season · bound · band · game · saw · ball · can

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. ball — a great time
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. can — to be able to
  6. season — of the year
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. band — a ring
  10. bound — certain
  11. game — wild animals
  12. band — a music group
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bound — obliged
  15. can — a tin
  16. object — to protest
  17. ball — a dance
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. game — a match
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bound — tied together
  23. can — a tin
  24. band — a rubber band

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