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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 120 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. sharp — clever
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bank — for money
  8. ball — a great time
  9. firm — steady
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — a company
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. degree — an amount
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. firm — decided
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. swing — music
  22. bank — of a river
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — from a university

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