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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bank — of a river
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — soda
  11. spell — magic
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bound — certain
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rock — music
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bound — tied together
  23. spell — letters
  24. bank — for money

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