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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — of a river
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. current — of water
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — electric
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. current — happening now
  18. bank — for money
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bear — the animal

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