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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: club · band · board · plane · hand · bank · file · cap

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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 — in geometry
  2. file — a tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. hand — in cards
  5. club — a group
  6. cap — a hat
  7. file — a document
  8. cap — of ice
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. file — a line of people
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. club — for golf
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. hand — help
  18. band — a ring
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cap — a lid
  22. band — a music group
  23. bank — for money
  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