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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bank — for money
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bound — certain
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bank — for money
  17. stem — to come from
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bound — obliged
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mate — to breed
  24. plane — a tool

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