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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. can — a tin
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fine — all right
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a ring
  13. fine — high quality
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. band — a music group
  17. can — to be able to
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fork — a garden tool

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