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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bass — low music
  5. bank — for money
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lean — thin
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. perch — the fish
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bank — for money
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. row — a quarrel

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