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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.

Make a worksheet

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: trunk · stick · capital · plane · can · arm · mug · band

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. band — a music group
  3. mug — to rob
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. can — a tin
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. band — a ring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. capital — money
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. can — a tin
  19. capital — a city
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mug — a face
  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