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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bank — of a river
  3. land — to come down
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. march — the month
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — the fish
  11. march — the month
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. land — a country
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. march — music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. land — ground

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