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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. track — a path
  3. bulb — for light
  4. race — a contest
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bank — for money
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. bulb — for light
  17. race — humankind
  18. track — a song
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. race — the arms race
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rash — a series

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