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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. march — the month
  3. bank — of a river
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. tear — to rip
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. tear — from crying
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. branch — a division
  12. bank — for money
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to point toward
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. tear — from crying
  19. can — to be able to
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. face — to confront
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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