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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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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: trunk · arm · swing · plane · capital · band · vault · racket

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. swing — music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. band — a ring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — to play on
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. capital — money
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. vault — a safe
  16. capital — a city
  17. swing — in golf
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. band — a music group
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. plane — a tool

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