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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
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: ball · plane · band · fine · temple · craft · arm · toast

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. band — a ring
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fine — high quality
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. toast — bread
  15. plane — a tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fine — all right
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. band — a music group

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