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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. band — a music group
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spell — letters
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. suit — to fit
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. band — a ring
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. spell — a short time
  15. kid — child
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. kid — to tease
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. spell — magic
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — in cards
  24. game — wild animals

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