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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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 — with your hand
  2. stock — goods
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bank — of a river
  7. band — a ring
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. chip — to eat
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — there
  15. stock — shares
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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