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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bank — of a river
  3. saw — the tool
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bank — for money
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bank — for money
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. tube — the underground
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. firm — steady
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. tube — a container
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fall — the season
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fall — to drop
  24. firm — decided

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