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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pop — soda
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. shower — rain
  6. pop — music
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mine — for digging
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bank — of a river
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — to visit

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