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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cell — a phone
  7. band — a music group
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. club — a group
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. kid — to tease
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. kid — child
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. club — for golf
  18. fine — all right
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. fine — high quality
  23. band — a ring
  24. club — for dancing

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