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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: spell · band · rash · key · press · bound · rule · board

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rash — a series
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rule — a law
  5. press — newspapers
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. board — a committee
  10. band — a ring
  11. bound — tied together
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rule — government
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bound — certain
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bound — obliged
  21. board — to get on
  22. spell — letters
  23. press — to push
  24. spell — magic

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