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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bank — for money
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. field — for sport
  12. rock — music
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. band — a music group
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. band — a ring
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. field — a subject
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. field — farmland
  24. band — a rubber band

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