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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: band · fork · cabinet · plane · chip · arm · bass · spell

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. chip — for betting
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chip — to eat
  15. band — a music group
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bass — low music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. band — a rubber band

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