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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. club — for golf
  4. band — a ring
  5. club — a group
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a friend
  8. band — a music group
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — a company
  12. present — a gift
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. present — there
  15. firm — steady
  16. bank — for money
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. present — the time now
  20. firm — decided
  21. bank — of a river
  22. club — for dancing
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mate — a partner

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