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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bank — for money
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bulb — for light
  17. squash — the sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. mark — a grade
  21. band — a music group
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. plane — an aircraft

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