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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bear — the animal
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. bear — the animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bass — the fish
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bass — low music
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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