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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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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: capital · mouse · content · dip · band · wave · plane · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. content — the amount
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. content — happy
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. capital — money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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