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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. band — a music group
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. firm — decided
  9. mark — a grade
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. charge — in control
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rash — hasty
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — a tool
  22. firm — a company
  23. rash — a series
  24. plane — in geometry

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