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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.

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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — for money
  3. season — of the year
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. firm — decided
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. club — for golf
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cell — a phone
  11. hand — help
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. firm — steady
  18. cell — in biology
  19. season — in sport
  20. club — a group
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. hand — in cards
  23. firm — a company
  24. club — for dancing

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