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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 116 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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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bank — of a river
  5. present — there
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. present — the time now
  10. capital — money
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. capital — a city
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bank — for money
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. present — a gift
  18. wave — with your hand

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