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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — for money
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a ring
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. band — a music group
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. hide — to keep secret

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