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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 120 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. drill — the tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fine — high quality
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. fine — all right
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — a tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. wax — to grow
  24. drill — army training

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