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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — a tool
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — a trace
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. kid — to tease
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. kid — child
  16. content — happy
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mark — a grade
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. branch — a division
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. content — the amount
  24. snap — to click

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