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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. plane — a tool
  3. spell — a short time
  4. charge — in control
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fall — to drop
  7. spell — magic
  8. band — a ring
  9. fall — to drop
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stock — goods
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — a company
  15. spell — letters
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stock — shares
  18. firm — steady
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. fall — the season
  22. firm — decided
  23. band — a music group
  24. charge — a price

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