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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. band — a ring
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. band — a music group
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — the season

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