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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.

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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: chest · bank · calf · object · band · fan · plane · fine

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chest — a box
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. band — a ring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. object — an aim
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. band — a music group
  17. object — a thing
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. chest — of your body
  20. object — to protest
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chest — of your body

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