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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · track · mine · wave · rock · bank · bark · spell

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. pit — a hole
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. track — a song
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. spell — magic
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rock — music
  17. bank — for money
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. spell — letters
  23. bank — for money
  24. track — a path

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