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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 seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. field — a subject
  3. bank — for money
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rest — what's left
  8. field — farmland
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. tube — a container
  14. deal — to handle
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mate — a partner
  17. tube — the underground
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. field — for sport
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wave — of the sea

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