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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: band · board · mark · calf · bank · trunk · plane · arm

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. board — a committee
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mark — a trace
  11. band — a ring
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bank — for money
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. band — a music group
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. band — a rubber band

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