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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. net — for catching
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. mate — a friend
  10. net — in sport
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. net — after costs
  13. cap — of ice
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mate — a partner
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spell — magic
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cap — a lid

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