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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. swing — in golf
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. court — of law
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. court — of a king
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. band — a music group
  12. swing — to play on
  13. court — for sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hand — help
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. swing — music

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