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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bark — to shout
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. plane — a tool
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. deal — to handle
  18. current — happening now
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. current — electric
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bass — the fish

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