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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. kick — in football
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. shower — to wash
  5. ground — a position
  6. bank — for money
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bank — of a river
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. tube — a container
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ground — the earth
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ground — crushed
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — a trace
  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