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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. object — a thing
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. craft — boats
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — of a river
  9. plane — a tool
  10. object — to protest
  11. bank — for money
  12. band — a ring
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pop — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. object — an aim
  19. lean — to bend
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lean — thin
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. band — a music group
  24. nail — for a hammer

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