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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. plane — a tool
  4. tube — a container
  5. firm — steady
  6. saw — the tool
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. land — to come down
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. firm — a company
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. firm — decided
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. tube — the underground

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