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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 120 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. clip — for paper
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. spring — the season
  6. bank — of a river
  7. clip — a video
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. spring — a coil
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spring — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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