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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bank — for money
  6. swing — to play on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — of a plant
  9. squash — to crush
  10. spring — a coil
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bank — of a river
  15. spring — of water
  16. root — of a word
  17. swing — music
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — to fit
  20. march — music
  21. spring — the season
  22. root — the cause
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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