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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. can — to be able to
  4. band — a ring
  5. board — a committee
  6. firm — a company
  7. ball — a dance
  8. can — a tin
  9. board — to get on
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. band — a music group
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. firm — decided
  20. scale — size or range
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. scale — in music
  24. firm — steady

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