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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. suit — clothes
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. swing — music
  6. ball — a great time
  7. row — a line
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lean — thin
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. swing — to play on
  16. net — for catching
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bulb — for light
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lean — to bend
  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