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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bound — obliged
  5. object — a thing
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. band — a ring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bound — tied together
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. object — to protest
  12. deal — to handle
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. net — in sport
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — a tool
  20. net — after costs
  21. object — an aim
  22. net — for catching
  23. bound — certain
  24. bulb — of a plant

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