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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: key · fan · plane · snap · bound · perch · band · charge

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bound — tied together
  8. snap — to click
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. band — a music group
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. band — a ring
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. charge — in control
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fan — to cool the air

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