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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pound — a weight
  5. saw — the tool
  6. band — a ring
  7. fine — all right
  8. pop — music
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cap — a lid
  11. saw — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pop — soda
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. cap — a hat
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fine — high quality
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. band — a rubber band

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