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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. fine — all right
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pound — a weight
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. club — a group
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bass — low music
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bank — for money
  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