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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · sharp · suit · march · fine · wave · bank · stick

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fine — all right
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bank — of a river
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. fine — high quality
  24. plane — in geometry

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