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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 124 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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. cell — in biology
  4. bark — to shout
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cell — a phone
  9. content — happy
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — letters
  16. content — the amount
  17. swing — music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. can — a tin
  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