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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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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: plane · band · charge · fine · ball · foot · mine · cap

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. band — a ring
  6. mine — for digging
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — of ice
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cap — a lid
  13. band — a music group
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. charge — a price
  18. fine — all right
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. charge — in control
  21. ball — a dance
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. cap — a hat

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