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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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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bank — for money
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ball — a great time
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. row — to paddle
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. date — the fruit
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ball — a dance
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. row — a line
  24. bank — for money

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