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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. swing — music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. row — a line
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cue — a signal
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mate — a partner
  14. swing — in golf
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bank — of a river
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cue — for pool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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