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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bound — certain
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bound — tied together
  8. band — a ring
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pitch — completely
  12. swing — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. shower — rain
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. band — a music group
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. shower — to wash
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bound — obliged

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