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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. hand — in cards
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pound — a weight
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. branch — a division
  12. charge — a price
  13. bank — for money
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. charge — in control
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cabinet — ministers

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