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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. row — to paddle
  3. plane — a tool
  4. face — to point toward
  5. track — a path
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — of a river
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bank — for money
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. face — to confront
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. track — a song

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