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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wound — an injury
  13. swing — music
  14. bank — for money
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — for light

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