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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. capital — money
  5. spell — magic
  6. capital — a city
  7. present — the time now
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. present — there
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bank — of a river
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. spell — a short time
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — goods
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spell — letters
  22. present — a gift
  23. stock — shares
  24. arm — part of the body

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