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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: bound · cap · staff · band · firm · root · chest · suit

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bound — certain
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cap — of ice
  7. band — a ring
  8. staff — employees
  9. bound — obliged
  10. root — of a word
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. chest — a box
  14. cap — a hat
  15. staff — employees
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chest — of your body
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — decided
  23. staff — a stick
  24. suit — in cards

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