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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bank — for money
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. key — in music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bank — for money
  19. key — the most important part
  20. charge — in control
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. hand — in cards
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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