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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. plane — a tool
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. band — a music group
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a ring
  14. bound — obliged
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rest — what's left
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bound — tied together

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