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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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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pop — soda
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — music
  5. file — a tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pop — to visit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. file — a line of people
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. file — a document
  18. jam — a tight spot

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