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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. 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. swing — to play on
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. swing — in golf
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for dancing
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — ground
  9. bank — of a river
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. club — for golf
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. swing — music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. roll — a list
  21. land — a country
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pass — a permit
  24. 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