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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. track — a song
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cap — of ice
  17. net — in sport
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. cap — a hat
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. net — after costs
  22. bank — of a river
  23. net — for catching
  24. wave — with your hand

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