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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: content · plane · wave · bear · bank · racket · track · degree

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. content — the amount
  6. plane — a tool
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. bank — for money
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. degree — an amount
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. track — to keep track
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. degree — temperature
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bank — of a river
  24. racket — for tennis

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