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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. swing — to play on
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mate — a partner
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bank — for money
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. can — a tin
  9. staff — employees
  10. can — a tin
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bank — of a river
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. staff — employees
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bank — for money
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bear — the animal
  23. hand — help
  24. swing — music

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