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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: plane · band · temple · bore · swing · nail · saw · stand

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stand — to bear
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bore — to drill
  10. swing — music
  11. bore — to tire
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. band — a ring
  17. swing — to play on
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. swing — in golf
  24. plane — an aircraft

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