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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: mark · bank · wave · hand · capital · pop · pit · rush

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pop — soda
  9. capital — a city
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pop — music
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — money
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — of a river
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. rush — a thrill

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