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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 120 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
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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: plane · scale · pop · wave · mark · fan · mug · wake

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mug — a face
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mug — to rob
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pop — music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. scale — in music
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pop — soda

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