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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. row — to paddle
  3. swing — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mate — a friend
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. swing — in golf
  11. key — in music
  12. snap — to click
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — a company
  15. bank — for money
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. firm — decided
  18. mate — to breed
  19. firm — steady
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bank — of a river
  23. row — a line
  24. key — for a lock

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