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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: object · nail · band · craft · plane · mine · bank · lie

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — a tool
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a music group
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. craft — boats
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. band — a ring
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — a thing
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — to protest

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