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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 can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — a company
  10. saw — the tool
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rush — hurry
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. swing — music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. straw — dry grass

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