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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. band — a ring
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bank — for money
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bank — for money
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. press — to push
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. press — a publisher
  14. band — a music group
  15. rest — a break
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pop — music
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — soda
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pop — to visit

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