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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. prune — to trim
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. deal — to handle
  7. plane — a tool
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. roll — a cake
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. roll — a list
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. deal — an agreement
  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