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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: bank · row · pass · suit · kid · mug · racket · wave

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mug — a face
  6. row — a line
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bank — of a river
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bank — for money
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. row — to paddle
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — a cup
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — child
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. kid — to tease
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. racket — a loud noise

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