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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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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: saw · wave · racket · land · dip · kid · spell · bank

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. spell — magic
  3. kid — to tease
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. land — a country
  7. bank — of a river
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. dip — to sink
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. land — ground
  13. kid — child
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — to come down
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. spell — a short time
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. spell — letters
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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