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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. firm — decided
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — a company
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bank — for money
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bank — of a river
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — child
  15. spell — a short time
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — steady
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. club — a group

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