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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bank — for money
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. club — a group
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. club — for golf
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wake — a trail
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. firm — decided
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bank — for money
  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