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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. band — a music group
  5. bound — certain
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. vault — a safe
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bound — tied together
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. band — a ring
  21. rock — a stone
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. plane — a tool
  24. patient — a sick person

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