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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
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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: row · wake · dip · wave · plane · saw · mug · mine

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. row — a line
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mug — a cup
  10. dip — to sink
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. row — to paddle
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mine — for digging
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. saw — the tool
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mug — a face

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