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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bank — for money
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rule — government
  11. mate — a friend
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rule — a law
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. swing — music
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bank — of a river
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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