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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bound — tied together
  3. band — a ring
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. drill — a practice
  6. band — a music group
  7. bound — certain
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lean — to bend
  12. craft — boats
  13. can — to be able to
  14. craft — a skill
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bound — obliged
  17. can — a tin
  18. drill — army training
  19. can — a tin
  20. lean — thin
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lean — to rest against

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