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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. net — in sport
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. craft — a skill
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. net — after costs
  14. bank — for money
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. bark — to shout
  20. net — for catching
  21. bank — of a river
  22. roll — a list
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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