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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 120 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: wave · mine · bank · fine · snap · mark · calf · rush

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to click
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fine — high quality
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fine — a penalty

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