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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rock — music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wound — an injury
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. craft — boats
  24. nail — for a hammer

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