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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · toast · face · bulb · band · jam · nail · prune

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. band — a ring
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. chair — a leader
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. band — a music group
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. toast — bread
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. face — to confront
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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