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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. net — after costs
  12. stand — to bear
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. band — a music group
  17. net — for catching
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. net — in sport
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. mark — a trace
  22. band — a ring
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. nail — for a hammer

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