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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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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: wake · band · racket · safe · nail · plane · toast · pit

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. wake — a trail
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. band — a ring
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pit — in a race
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — a tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. safe — out of danger

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