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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 116 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rush — hurry
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. content — the amount
  11. squash — the sport
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. content — happy
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bank — for money
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wave — with your hand

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