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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — for money
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. staff — employees
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mark — a trace
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mark — a grade
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. mate — a friend
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. staff — a stick
  22. swing — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fork — a garden tool

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