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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fall — the season
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. saw — the tool
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. fall — to drop
  13. squash — to crush
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bank — for money
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cap — a lid
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. fine — high quality

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