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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
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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 · date · cap · plane · lie · staff · branch · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. cap — of ice
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. branch — a division
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. date — the fruit
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. band — a ring
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — a lid
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cap — a hat
  21. band — a music group
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lie — to recline

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