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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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bank — for money
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. staff — employees
  8. bank — for money
  9. staff — a stick
  10. wake — a trail
  11. staff — employees
  12. wind — moving air
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. band — a ring
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. spell — a short time
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. band — a music group

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