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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. wake — a trail
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bank — for money
  12. mate — to breed
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. mate — a partner
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rock — music
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bank — for money

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