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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mark — a trace
  12. file — a document
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mark — a grade
  20. swing — music
  21. file — a tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. mark — to pay attention

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