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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: mate · pitcher · mug · bank · wound · row · lie · wave

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bank — for money
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mug — a face
  11. row — to paddle
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — a line
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wound — an injury
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lie — to recline

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