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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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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: rule · snap · wave · pound · trunk · bear · plane · dip

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bear — the animal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rule — government
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. dip — to sink
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rule — a law
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bear — the animal
  18. snap — to click
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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