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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — steady
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. band — a ring
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. plane — a tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. firm — decided
  24. sharp — exactly

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