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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tube — the underground
  4. suit — clothes
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — a container
  8. bank — of a river
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rash — a series
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — to fit
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — a tool

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