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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. root — the cause
  9. chip — for betting
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bank — of a river
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. root — of a word
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. cap — a hat
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — to trim

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