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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ground — a position
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — a stone
  13. swing — music
  14. rock — music
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. craft — boats
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bank — for money
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. sharp — clever

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