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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. band — a music group
  14. cold — not warm
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cold — an illness
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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