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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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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: plane · bank · wake · band · ball · mate

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bank — for money
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mate — a partner
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mate — to breed
  18. band — a ring

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