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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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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: stick · suit · kid · calf · band · rock · cap · fork

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. band — a ring
  5. fork — in a road
  6. band — a music group
  7. suit — clothes
  8. kid — child
  9. cap — a hat
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. kid — to tease
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cap — a lid
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cap — of ice

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