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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.

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: firm · cell · mark · rock · mouse · spell · band · drill

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. drill — army training
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — music
  7. firm — decided
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. mark — a grade
  13. drill — a practice
  14. spell — letters
  15. firm — steady
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. firm — a company
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. band — a rubber band

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