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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. band — a ring
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. firm — a company
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. firm — steady
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — decided
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pound — a weight
  24. band — a music group

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