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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: ruler · band · bay · fine · dip · hand · stick · plane

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. band — a music group
  5. hand — help
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. band — a ring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — all right
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hand — in cards
  24. plane — an aircraft

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