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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pound — a weight
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. game — a match
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bank — for money
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wind — moving air

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