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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. firm — steady
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mine — for digging
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. object — an aim
  12. band — a music group
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. band — a ring
  15. tear — from crying
  16. object — to protest
  17. firm — a company
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. firm — decided
  23. tear — from crying
  24. object — a thing

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