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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: jam · spell · rash · foot · calf · arm · date · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a ring
  3. spell — a short time
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. band — a music group
  6. spell — magic
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rash — hasty
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rash — a series
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. spell — letters
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. jam — a tight spot

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