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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 120 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: safe · plane · mouse · band · deal · bay · track · wake

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. track — a path
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. band — a music group
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wake — a trail
  16. deal — to handle
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. band — a ring
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. track — a song

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