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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bank — for money
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — thin
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. club — for golf
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. club — a group
  16. bank — of a river
  17. capital — a city
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bank — for money
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. mouse — the animal

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