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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. swing — to play on
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. key — the most important part
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. key — in music
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wax — to grow
  17. date — the fruit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. key — for a lock
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. swing — music

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