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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fine — high quality
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. scale — in music
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mark — a grade
  16. plane — a tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mark — a trace
  22. band — a ring
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — an aircraft

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