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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — to go on
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bank — for money
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wake — a trail
  7. object — to protest
  8. file — a line of people
  9. charge — in control
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. object — a thing
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. charge — a price
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bank — for money
  17. file — a tool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. file — a document
  21. object — an aim
  22. last — final
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. charge — electricity

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