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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bank — of a river
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. court — for sport
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bass — low music
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bank — for money
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. court — of law
  18. bank — for money
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. court — of a king
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — in cards

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