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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bank — of a river
  6. swing — to play on
  7. firm — a company
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. swing — music
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tear — from crying
  12. firm — steady
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — the time now
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bank — for money
  17. vault — a safe
  18. present — a gift
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. firm — decided
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. swing — in golf
  24. present — there

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