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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. swing — to play on
  3. staff — employees
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bound — certain
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. swing — in golf
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — tied together
  24. swing — music

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