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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mine — for digging
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. present — a gift
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bank — of a river
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. present — there
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. present — the time now
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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