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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to click
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bank — for money
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bark — to shout

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