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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: plane · toast · game · sharp · safe · date · lash · band

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. band — a ring
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. toast — bread
  12. band — a music group
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. sharp — clever
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. plane — a tool
  17. date — the fruit
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. game — wild animals
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — the most admired

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