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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.

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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: rock · toast · row · firm · pop · plane · mark · bank

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rock — music
  3. bank — for money
  4. row — to paddle
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pop — to visit
  9. firm — a company
  10. pop — soda
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pop — music
  14. toast — bread
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — steady
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. firm — decided

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