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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. deal — to handle
  4. sharp — clever
  5. plane — a tool
  6. key — in music
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spell — magic
  9. key — the most important part
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. key — for a lock
  15. spell — letters
  16. ball — a great time
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. deal — a big deal

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