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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bank — for money
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. swing — in golf
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pound — a weight
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. hand — help
  12. bank — for money
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bank — of a river
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. swing — to play on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. hand — in cards

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