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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · stick · band · mouse · cap · bulb · cabinet · pitch

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. band — a music group
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. band — a ring
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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