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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: kick · pop · wave · object · field · bank · toast · hide

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. object — a thing
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. field — a subject
  6. pop — soda
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — for money
  9. field — farmland
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. object — an aim
  13. field — for sport
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kick — in football
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. object — to protest
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pop — music
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pop — to visit

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