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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. firm — a company
  5. band — a music group
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bound — tied together
  12. snap — to click
  13. can — a tin
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bound — certain
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bound — obliged
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. firm — steady
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fork — in a road
  23. firm — decided
  24. plane — a tool

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