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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · wave · tube · bear · mark · bass · game · dip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. dip — to sink
  6. game — wild animals
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tube — the underground
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. game — a match
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. tube — a container
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mark — a grade

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