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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bank — for money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. object — an aim
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. can — a tin
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — to be able to
  16. object — a thing
  17. capital — a city
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bank — for money
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. capital — money
  22. can — a tin
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. object — to protest

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