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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. present — the time now
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. content — the amount
  11. bank — for money
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bank — for money
  15. wake — a trail
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. present — there
  19. rash — a series
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. content — happy
  23. present — a gift
  24. fork — a garden tool

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