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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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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: firm · craft · band · lash · mug · pass · snap · root

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. mug — to rob
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. firm — a company
  6. mug — a face
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. craft — boats
  9. mug — a cup
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. root — the cause
  12. firm — decided
  13. snap — to click
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. firm — steady
  20. root — of a word
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pass — a permit

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