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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. last — final
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bank — for money
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. last — to go on
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. last — finally
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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