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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: rash · nail · track · bound · temple · cabinet · ball · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bound — certain
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. band — a music group
  12. track — a path
  13. ball — a dance
  14. band — a ring
  15. rash — a series
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. nail — on a finger

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