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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — in golf
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bound — certain
  7. board — a committee
  8. content — the amount
  9. bank — of a river
  10. object — a thing
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. content — happy
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bound — obliged
  15. object — an aim
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. swing — music
  19. object — to protest
  20. wind — moving air
  21. board — to get on
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a dance
  24. swing — to play on

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