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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bank — of a river
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. clip — for paper
  9. rule — a law
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rule — government
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mug — a face
  22. clip — a video
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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