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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · bank · plane · capital · bark · mine · calf · wake

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bank — for money
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. wake — a trail
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bank — for money
  17. capital — money
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bark — to shout
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. calf — a young animal

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