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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. chest — a box
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. club — a group
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. net — after costs
  17. club — for golf
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chest — of your body
  20. club — for dancing
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bark — to shout

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