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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: pitcher · ground · lean · wave · bank · plane · patient · can

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ground — a position
  15. can — a tin
  16. ground — the earth
  17. lean — thin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bank — for money
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ground — crushed
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lean — to bend

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