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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. date — the fruit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chest — of your body
  7. race — humankind
  8. charge — in control
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. chest — a box
  13. charge — a price
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bank — for money
  16. spell — magic
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. spell — letters
  24. rock — music

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