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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: straw · arm · racket · charge · plane · march · band · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. march — the month
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — electricity
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. charge — in control
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. plane — a tool
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — a price
  24. straw — dry grass

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