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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bank — for money
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. pop — to visit
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pop — soda
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pop — music
  13. track — to keep track
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bank — of a river
  16. tube — a container
  17. plane — a tool
  18. deal — to handle

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