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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. swing — in golf
  4. firm — steady
  5. pop — music
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. net — for catching
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pop — soda
  19. firm — decided
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bank — for money
  23. swing — music
  24. net — after costs

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