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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. court — of a king
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. present — the time now
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. court — for sport
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. present — there
  16. court — of law
  17. bank — of a river
  18. march — the month
  19. bank — for money
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — a gift

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