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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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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: snap · temple · cabinet · calf · fork · bowl · plane · band

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. band — a music group
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fork — in a road
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a ring
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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