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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bulb — for light
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bank — of a river
  6. swing — to play on
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bank — for money
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. swing — music
  18. bank — for money

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