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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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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: pop · wave · bank · season · object · straw · ball · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. object — an aim
  3. ball — a dance
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. object — a thing
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bank — for money
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. season — in sport
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. pop — music
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bank — for money
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. object — to protest
  21. pop — to visit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pop — soda
  24. season — of the year

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