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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stock — goods
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. snap — to click
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bass — low music
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bass — the fish
  14. charge — a price
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. band — a ring
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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