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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bank — of a river
  5. court — of a king
  6. row — a line
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. plane — a tool
  9. dip — to sink
  10. march — the month
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bank — for money
  14. court — of law
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bank — for money
  17. march — music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. march — the month
  21. court — for sport
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. row — to paddle

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