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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — happening now
  7. bank — for money
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. chest — of your body
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. swing — music
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. chest — a box
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. capital — a city
  17. bank — of a river
  18. swing — to play on
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. swing — in golf
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. capital — money
  24. chest — of your body

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