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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bank — for money
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bank — for money

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