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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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. spell — a short time
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. chip — for betting
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. spell — letters
  9. season — of the year
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. season — in sport
  13. spell — magic
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. deal — to handle
  19. date — the fruit
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. chip — to eat

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