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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. plane — a tool
  7. game — wild animals
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chest — of your body
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. chest — a box
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. rock — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bank — for money
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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