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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · plane · wave · lean · rush · key · cold · bank

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — an illness
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bank — for money
  9. key — for a lock
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rush — hurry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. key — in music
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lean — thin
  17. can — a tin
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bank — for money
  23. lean — to bend
  24. can — a tin

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