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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bank — for money
  3. row — to paddle
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stock — shares
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bass — the fish
  13. row — a line
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. stock — goods
  18. bass — low music
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. spell — magic

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