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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bank — for money
  7. hand — help
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bank — for money
  23. rest — a break
  24. fork — in a road

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