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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bark — to shout
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bank — for money
  10. fall — the season
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bank — for money
  13. fine — all right
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bank — of a river
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lean — to bend
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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