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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: nail · degree · bear · plane · bay · object · band · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. object — an aim
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. degree — temperature
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. band — a ring
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — to protest
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bear — the animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. object — a thing
  24. nail — for a hammer

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