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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. last — final
  6. present — there
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. band — a ring
  11. court — of a king
  12. bank — of a river
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. last — finally
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. band — a music group
  17. bank — for money
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. last — to go on
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. snap — to click
  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