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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. band — a ring
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. craft — boats
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. band — a music group
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stem — to come from
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. craft — a skill
  24. plane — a tool

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