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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. firm — a company
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bass — the fish
  5. firm — decided
  6. bass — low music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. snap — to click
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. firm — steady
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bear — the animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. spell — a short time
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. pass — a permit
  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