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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. plane — a tool
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pop — to visit
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. last — to go on
  14. vault — a safe
  15. last — finally
  16. pop — music
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pop — soda
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. prune — to trim
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. last — final
  24. ruler — for measuring

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