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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: bank · hand · ball · rest · wave · wake · present · arm

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. present — a gift
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wake — a trail
  21. present — there
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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