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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rock — a stone
  9. band — a music group
  10. rock — music
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bound — obliged
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. band — a ring
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. lean — to bend
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. kick — in football
  24. lean — thin

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