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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: wake · safe · mug · band · bowl · plane · ground · foot

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. plane — a tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mug — a face
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. band — a ring
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. ground — a position
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mug — a cup

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