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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bank — of a river
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — for digging
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. roll — a cake
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. roll — a list
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. swing — music
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  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