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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: saw · plane · toast · snap · tube · bank · deal · bear

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. snap — to click
  3. tube — a container
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. tube — the underground
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bear — the animal
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bank — of a river
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — the tool
  17. toast — bread
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. plane — a tool
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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