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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rock — music
  9. mine — for digging
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bank — for money
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rock — to move gently

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