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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bank — of a river
  3. land — to come down
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — a country
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. land — ground

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