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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. last — finally
  3. ball — a dance
  4. squash — the sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. squash — to crush
  8. plane — a tool
  9. band — a ring
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. shower — rain
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — to go on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. shower — to wash
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. band — a music group
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. last — final

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