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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. swing — to play on
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — the tool
  10. band — a music group
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a ring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. swing — music
  19. craft — boats
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. drill — army training
  23. pitch — completely
  24. drill — a practice

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