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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. swing — in golf
  6. wind — moving air
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. swing — music
  9. bank — for money
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — a series
  14. present — there
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. present — a gift
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wind — moving air
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bank — for money

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