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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 116 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 · leaves · band · lie · swing · trunk · craft · rule

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rule — government
  3. band — a ring
  4. rule — a law
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mark — a grade
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. band — a music group
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mark — a trace
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. swing — in golf
  19. craft — boats
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. craft — a skill
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lie — an untruth

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