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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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 — an aircraft
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cold — not warm
  8. pop — soda
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. charge — in control
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. band — a music group
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. charge — a price
  20. pop — music
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pop — to visit
  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