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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. band — a music group
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rush — hurry
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. vault — a safe
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rock — music
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. band — a ring
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rush — a thrill

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