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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cell — a phone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rock — music
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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