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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. club — for golf
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. board — a committee
  10. bank — of a river
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. last — final
  13. board — to get on
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. last — finally
  20. bank — for money
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. chip — for betting
  24. club — a group

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