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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bank — of a river
  3. object — an aim
  4. wind — moving air
  5. roll — a list
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. firm — decided
  9. prune — to trim
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. present — the time now
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — to protest
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wind — moving air
  17. present — a gift
  18. swing — music
  19. object — a thing
  20. present — there
  21. firm — a company
  22. swing — to play on
  23. firm — steady
  24. roll — a cake

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