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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. court — of a king
  3. present — a gift
  4. deal — to handle
  5. shower — rain
  6. court — for sport
  7. present — there
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. present — the time now
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a music group
  16. court — of law
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. shower — to wash
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. plane — a tool
  24. band — a ring

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