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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ball — a dance
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bank — for money
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stock — goods
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — shares
  17. ball — a great time
  18. club — a group
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. swing — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — in football

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