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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · content · pit · plane · tear · bank · spell · hand

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. spell — letters
  3. hand — in cards
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bank — of a river
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. spell — a short time
  11. content — happy
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. plane — a tool
  14. spell — magic
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tear — from crying
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bank — for money
  22. content — the amount
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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