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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rock — music
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. bank — for money
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pop — soda
  13. bank — of a river
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — in golf
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rock — a stone
  19. swing — music
  20. object — to protest
  21. sharp — clever
  22. object — an aim
  23. march — the month
  24. pop — 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