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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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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: temple · band · safe · plane · bowl · coach · capital · march

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. band — a ring
  3. capital — money
  4. band — a music group
  5. capital — a city
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. march — the month
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. plane — a tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bowl — a dish

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