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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pop — music
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — to protest
  8. pop — soda
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. object — a thing
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wax — to grow
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fork — to eat with

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