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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. band — a rubber band
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hand — in cards
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. hand — help
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rush — hurry
  15. perch — the fish
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. band — a ring
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rush — to hurry
  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