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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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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: deal · mug · band · craft · season · rule · drill · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. band — a ring
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mug — to rob
  5. craft — boats
  6. season — of the year
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mug — a cup
  9. band — a music group
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. club — for golf
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. club — for dancing
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rule — a law
  21. deal — to handle
  22. season — in sport
  23. mug — a face
  24. rule — government

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