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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — for money
  4. swing — to play on
  5. charge — in control
  6. can — to be able to
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. swing — music
  10. drill — the tool
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bank — of a river
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bank — for money
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. charge — a price
  18. drill — a practice
  19. swing — in golf
  20. charge — electricity
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — to put up with

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