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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: lean · bear · wave · net · bay · plane · march · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. march — the month
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. net — for catching
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rock — music
  20. lean — thin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. march — music
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bear — the animal

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