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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ball — a dance
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. vault — a safe
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pop — music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pop — soda
  14. wake — a trail
  15. content — happy
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. band — a ring
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pop — to visit
  23. band — a music group
  24. content — the amount

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