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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — for money
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rest — a break
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. scale — in music
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mate — a partner
  17. land — ground
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bank — for money
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rest — what's left

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