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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. clip — a video
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. toast — bread
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. plane — a tool
  13. band — a ring
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. branch — a division
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. clip — to cut
  20. tube — the underground
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. tube — a container

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