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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 120 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: straw · object · firm · track · squash · wake · band · content

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. content — the amount
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. band — a ring
  7. track — a path
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. track — a song
  10. wake — a trail
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. firm — a company
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. band — a music group
  16. track — to keep track
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. firm — decided
  21. content — happy
  22. firm — steady
  23. object — a thing
  24. wake — before a funeral

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