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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mark — a grade
  12. plane — a tool
  13. kid — child
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. present — there
  17. kid — to tease
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. present — a gift
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bass — low music
  23. present — the time now
  24. mark — a trace

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