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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. file — a document
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bank — for money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bat — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bank — of a river
  24. hide — animal skin

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