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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ground — a position
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cell — a phone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ground — the earth
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ground — crushed
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. suit — in cards
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cell — in biology
  24. prune — the fruit

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