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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.

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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: mark · tear · bulb · suit · pit · object · band · chair

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — in cards
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. band — a music group
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. band — a ring
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — to fit
  13. object — a thing
  14. mark — a trace
  15. object — to protest
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. object — an aim
  24. suit — clothes

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