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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: mug · plane · fine · cap · net · bark · safe · band

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mug — a face
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fine — all right
  8. mug — to rob
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. band — a music group
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. net — for catching
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. band — a ring
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — in geometry

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