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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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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. band — a music group
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. swing — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. court — of a king
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. plane — a tool
  17. court — for sport
  18. swing — in golf
  19. band — a ring
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — of law

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