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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 120 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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a music group
  3. track — a path
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. present — there
  9. cue — a hint
  10. tube — a container
  11. chest — a box
  12. present — the time now
  13. track — a song
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. band — a ring
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. chest — of your body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chest — of your body
  22. present — a gift
  23. track — to keep track
  24. tube — the underground

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