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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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cap — a lid
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — music
  9. ground — a position
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cap — of ice
  12. game — a match
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a dance
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cap — a hat
  21. game — wild animals
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ground — crushed
  24. suit — in cards

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