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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: stand · rock · band · bank · kick · ball · arm · plane

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bank — of a river
  3. band — a music group
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. kick — in football
  13. ball — a great time
  14. plane — a tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stand — to bear
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bank — for money
  23. stand — for spectators
  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