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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: bulb · mug · pitcher · band · rest · fork · suit · race

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. race — humankind
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fork — in a road
  9. band — a ring
  10. race — a contest
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mug — a face
  17. rest — a break
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rest — what's left
  20. band — a music group
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mug — a cup

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