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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: hand · ruler · capital · band · plane · season · bank · mark

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a music group
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. capital — money
  12. season — of the year
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. capital — a city
  15. hand — help
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mark — a trace
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. band — a ring
  21. season — in sport
  22. mark — a grade
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bank — for money

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