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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. object — a thing
  10. bank — of a river
  11. object — an aim
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. firm — a company
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. object — to protest
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. firm — decided
  20. band — a ring
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stem — to come from
  23. swing — music
  24. band — a music group

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