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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: spring · object · band · cabinet · bowl · deal · wave · face

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. face — part of the head
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. band — a music group
  11. object — an aim
  12. spring — the season
  13. face — to point toward
  14. band — a ring
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. object — to protest
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. face — to confront
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — a thing
  24. bowl — a dish

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