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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. mark — a grade
  7. staff — a stick
  8. content — the amount
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cold — an illness
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cold — not warm
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bank — for money
  19. staff — employees
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wave — of the sea

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