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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rash — a series
  3. field — farmland
  4. last — final
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. last — finally
  9. field — a subject
  10. last — to go on
  11. swing — music
  12. row — to paddle
  13. field — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. swing — to play on
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. swing — in golf
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rash — on the skin

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