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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. club — a group
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. club — for golf

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