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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. march — the month
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. bank — for money
  16. date — the fruit
  17. march — music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wake — a trail
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. track — a song
  24. rush — a thrill

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