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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. wake — a trail
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. degree — temperature
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. root — the cause
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bank — for money
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. root — of a word
  19. fine — all right
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fine — high quality
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — an amount
  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