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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bound — certain
  4. rule — government
  5. band — a ring
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bound — tied together
  17. track — a song
  18. band — a music group
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rule — a law
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bound — obliged
  23. track — a path
  24. dip — a sauce

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