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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pop — to visit
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. band — a ring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. band — a music group
  11. spell — a short time
  12. plane — a tool
  13. spell — magic
  14. face — to confront
  15. pop — soda
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — music
  19. spell — letters
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. face — part of the head
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

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