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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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. present — a gift
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. drill — a practice
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. drill — the tool
  9. net — after costs
  10. mark — a grade
  11. deal — to handle
  12. plane — a tool
  13. band — a ring
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. band — a music group
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — a trace
  18. present — there
  19. drill — army training
  20. net — in sport
  21. wake — a trail
  22. net — for catching
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. deal — a big deal

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