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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. net — for catching
  6. bank — for money
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cue — a hint
  9. net — in sport
  10. bank — for money
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bank — of a river
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. swing — to play on
  19. net — after costs
  20. cue — a signal
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. content — the amount
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cue — for pool

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