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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. swing — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bank — for money
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — a tool
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. swing — to play on
  17. wax — to grow
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. plane — an aircraft

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