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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: leaves · fall · hide · can · bay · toast · band · plane

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fall — the season
  5. can — a tin
  6. band — a music group
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. can — to be able to
  9. toast — bread
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — a tin
  18. band — a ring
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. hide — animal skin

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