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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. net — after costs
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bank — for money
  8. staff — a stick
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rash — a series
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. net — for catching
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. net — in sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fall — to drop
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. rash — hasty

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