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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ground — a position
  7. deal — to handle
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. pop — music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. object — a thing
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lie — to recline
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. deal — a big deal
  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