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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: capital · band · bound · saw · toast · plane · kick · mouse

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. band — a music group
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bound — tied together
  10. capital — money
  11. band — a ring
  12. toast — bread
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. capital — a city
  21. plane — a tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. mouse — the animal

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