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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. face — part of the head
  5. plane — a tool
  6. content — the amount
  7. bark — to shout
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. content — happy
  10. season — of the year
  11. bank — for money
  12. current — of water
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. season — in sport
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. face — to point toward
  18. current — happening now
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. current — electric
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. face — to confront
  24. bank — of a river

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