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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — a tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. wind — moving air
  6. net — for catching
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. firm — decided
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. band — a ring
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. wind — moving air

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