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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. prune — to trim
  3. swing — music
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wake — a trail
  6. object — to protest
  7. mug — a cup
  8. object — a thing
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bank — of a river
  14. object — an aim
  15. mug — a face
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. shower — rain
  18. prune — to trim
  19. swing — in golf
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bank — for money
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bowl — to roll

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