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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. band — a ring
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. lie — to recline
  8. charge — in control
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. roll — a list
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. toast — bread
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. band — a music group
  19. charge — electricity
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. charge — a price
  22. roll — a cake
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. plane — in geometry

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