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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. can — a tin
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. can — a tin
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. band — a music group
  16. wound — an injury
  17. plane — a tool
  18. band — a ring
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pound — a weight

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