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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rash — a series
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wake — a trail
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pop — soda
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bass — low music
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rash — hasty
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pop — music

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