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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stock — goods
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — shares
  9. bank — of a river
  10. firm — decided
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. swing — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fork — in a road
  16. swing — to play on
  17. club — a group
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. club — for golf
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bank — for money
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. wake — a trail

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