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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rest — a break
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. tube — a container
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. band — a rubber band

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