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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: deal · band · temple · bowl · plane · lie · rash · perch

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. plane — a tool
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. band — a ring
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — to handle
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. band — a music group
  21. lie — to recline
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — a football final

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