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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. firm — steady
  3. bank — of a river
  4. firm — decided
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — all right
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rock — a stone
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hand — in cards
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. firm — a company
  17. pop — music
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pop — soda
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. hand — help
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fine — a penalty

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