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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: club · wave · bank · present · leaves · bark · court · content

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. content — the amount
  3. court — for sport
  4. club — for golf
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bank — of a river
  9. present — the time now
  10. court — of a king
  11. present — a gift
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. court — of law
  15. bark — to shout
  16. present — there
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bank — for money
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bank — for money

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