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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rock — music
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stock — goods
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mate — a partner
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — to cut
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bank — for money
  24. stock — shares

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