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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rock — music
  8. bound — obliged
  9. track — a path
  10. band — a music group
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. key — for a lock
  13. face — to confront
  14. track — a song
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. key — in music
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. face — to point toward
  19. deal — to handle
  20. track — to keep track
  21. face — part of the head
  22. plane — a tool
  23. key — the most important part
  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