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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: bank · craft · land · march · pit · bass · rash · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. land — a country
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bass — the fish
  10. craft — boats
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. land — ground
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. march — the month
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. march — the month
  21. land — to come down
  22. bank — for money
  23. march — music
  24. pit — in a race

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