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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: dip · bark · swing · pit · fan · bank · rash · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. swing — music
  16. bank — for money
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bank — for money
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rash — a series
  22. bark — to shout
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bank — of a river

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