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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: suit · rock · squash · nail · band · club · scale · ground

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. club — a group
  3. suit — clothes
  4. club — for golf
  5. scale — size or range
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rock — a stone
  8. scale — in music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rock — music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — a position
  14. squash — to crush
  15. band — a ring
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. suit — in cards
  21. club — for dancing
  22. band — a music group
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ground — crushed

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