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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. spell — magic
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ball — a great time
  15. spell — letters
  16. bank — for money
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rush — to hurry

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