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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
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: band · mouse · bat · plane · fine · wind · object · bulb

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. object — an aim
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bat — the animal
  10. fine — high quality
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. object — a thing
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bulb — for light
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fine — all right
  18. object — to protest
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. band — a music group
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. band — a ring
  24. mouse — for a computer

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