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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. band — a music group
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lie — to recline
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. band — a ring
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rush — hurry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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