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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 shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — hurry
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pop — to visit
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. capital — money
  11. pop — music
  12. capital — a city
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. roll — a list
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pop — soda
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rest — what's left

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