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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. last — finally
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bank — of a river
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bank — for money
  12. hand — in cards
  13. fork — in a road
  14. hand — help
  15. last — final
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. spell — letters
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. spell — a short time
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. spell — magic
  24. jam — in traffic

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