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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. swing — music
  3. stock — goods
  4. track — a song
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pop — music
  7. bank — for money
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mate — to breed
  14. track — a path
  15. tear — to rip
  16. stock — shares
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pop — soda
  19. fine — all right
  20. track — to keep track
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fine — high quality
  23. tear — from crying
  24. swing — to play on

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