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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. march — the month
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. present — a gift
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. present — there
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — the time now
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bank — of a river

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