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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rest — what's left
  3. last — finally
  4. last — to go on
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pound — a weight
  11. last — final
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pop — soda
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — for money
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bank — for money
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rest — a break
  23. pop — music
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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